Kolkata: Former Indian legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi said that he felt ,’sorry’ for Anil Kumble and hit out at the BCCI for allowing Kumble’s resignation to happen. He held the BCCI responsible for allowing such a situation to develop where the head coach of the national team had to resign.
At an event, he said, “I feel it was most avoidable situation. It is not between who is boss on the field and who is boss off the field. They both serve in the game in their own capacity. The need to agree to disagree is seldom followed. We are all grown up adults and we can have a difference of opinion. But we cannot have different path.”
“You have allowed this to develop in the first place. Who allowed this? They (the BCCI) allowed. They are disqualified people, disqualified as far as Lodha panel is concerned, these BCCI officials,” he further added.
Bedi said that he felt sorry for the Indian legend, who he regarded as a great cricketer. “In this particular case, I feel sorry for Kumble. He is not given his fair due. If this can happen to Kumble, with the performance that he has had as a coach, can you imagine what is in store for who is stepping into his shoes?” said Bedi.
Earlier speaking on this issue, CAC member and former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly had said that the Kohli-Kumble row could have been handled better. But Bedi however did not quite seem to appreciate this comment and instead hit back at the former skipper and said, “By whom? They were as much party to it. You cannot get away. You cannot wash your hands off from this particular ugly situation.”
He further added, “Who has handled it badly? What message are you trying to convey? Who is it who has handled it badly? That is important.”
The Indian legend also rubbished off the news that both Kohli and Kumble didn’t communicate with each other for six months as just rumours and said,” That is only a rumour. How can you survive six months without talking to each other? Considering the success story of the last one of year of the Indian team, you cannot do away with the contribution of Kumble.”
Talking of Kumble, Bedi felt that the former leg-spinner is a very intelligent cricket analyst despite not being a qualified coach.
He said, “He is to my mind, most intelligent cricket analyst in the country. He is not a qualified coach. But, he knows what the game is all about.”
He also criticised the committee formed by the BCCI for the implementation of the Lodha reforms. “Is there anyone qualified to be in that committee? And they are the ones who are going to talk about Lodha panel recommendations, when Lodha has clearly mentioned, you don’t stand a chance to be there in the first place,” said Bedi.