I will work in the background like Wright: Kumble

New Delhi, June 24

India’s new chief coach Anil Kumble will like to “convince rather than impose his ideas” on the team. “I will first like to absorb everything. Hopefully, then I will be able to convince them. If they don’t buy it, they won’t own it and the approach won’t work. I want to work as an enabler for things to happen,” said Kumble.

“I played a lot under John Wright (former India coach). He has been a great influence and that’s how I would probably go about my job.” 

“As a mentor of Mumbai Indians, I brought John in as he understands a lot about Indian culture and how coaches work here. I will pick his brains. Gary Kirsten also worked in the background and didn’t make himself visible. I will also try and be behind the scenes,” said Kumble, giving a peep into his coaching philosophy.

For Kumble, coaching is about taking burden away from the skipper. “As a coach, my job is to take burden off the captain’s shoulders. There are cricketing as well non-cricketing decisions to be made, and this is where I can take a lot of burden off the captain’s shoulders,” said Kumble.

The former India skipper believes that one is not a coach just on the field but off it as well. “You are not a coach only on the cricket field but off it too. My job will be to try and build personalities as well as leaders. There are wonderful talents and we can make leaders out of them. It’s not a quick fix. There will highs, but one will see lows too,” said the 45-year-old.

Kumble said his main aim would be to create a healthy team environment that is conducive for playing consistent and competitive cricket. “My job is to prepare the team for all conditions and eventualities.”

‘Nerve-wracking interview’ 

On a different note, Kumble said in jest that being interviewed for the job was “nerve wracking”. “It was a very different sort of interview. I had appeared for interviews for a few club memberships but not for a job. And to appear in front of your colleagues with whom you have played all your life and present your case was strange. It was nerve-wracking but great to present a plan, a blueprint for Indian cricket.”

Kumble said he felt this was the right time to take up the job as he was still fit enough to run around. “This was the right time to get involved. Still fit enough to run around with the boys. I felt as a coach you need to get your hands dirty, train and be amongst them.” — PTI