The dust has not yet settled as far as public and media outrage over India's heartbreaking defeat in the World Cup 2019 semi-final is concerned. The Men in Blue, considered favorites to dislodge New Zealand after a dominating run in the league phase, lost quite shockingly by 18 runs in Manchester.
And ever since, there has been widespread criticism of the team management, including skipper Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri, with people even questioning the merit of them continuing at the helm of affairs and bemoaning BCCI for not keeping a check over their hold on Indian cricket.
Now, speaking to Indian Express, the supreme court-appointed Committee of Administrators chief Vinod Rai finally responded over the matter. He said it would be "incorrect" to say that no one held Kohli responsible for the World Cup defeat.
"It’s good to have checks and balances. When a team performs badly, I don’t think it’s only the captain’s (responsibility)," he said. "There are a lot of closed door discussions… To say that nobody held Virat Kohli responsible for the (World Cup) loss would be incorrect."
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Kohli's role as captain and its massive influence have also been under the scanner with him publically insisting Ravi Shastri be re-elected in his position before the former India all-rounder was eventually reinstated for another two-year stint as head coach.
So when Rai got asked whether the COA is "allowing the captain to decide everything", he said: "We took charge on January 30, 2017. In April, when we happened to be in Hyderabad for the first match of the IPL season, Kumble’s contract was produced before me. Kumble’s contract, or rather selection as a coach, was for a two-year period."
"The person selected then did not find favor… So Kumble was selected, but he was given only a one-year tenure. Kumble’s contract did not have a clause for extension."
"The issue that came up was not so much about what happened in the dressing room… It was if we have to extend Kumble’s tenure, how do we do it? I was in favor of an extension if it was found appropriate by a certain committee. I said please follow the process. That’s all."
"And, what was the process? Call for applications, go through an interview process, and select the right person. You can call me ignoramus, but at the time I did not know what happened between the captain and the coach."
Rai also backed Shastri to continue the good work he has done with the team so far. "Now, again, I don’t know how many coaches would have been superior to Shastri, but at least he has managed to keep the team fighting fit, battle-ready and cohesive in every respect. So I think he performed very well as a coach," he concluded.
(Inputs from Indian Express)
