'Vinod Rai acted on Virat Kohli's texts to end Anil Kumble's term'

Anil Kumble and Virat Kohli

Another facet of the Virat Kohli-Anil Kumble split has come to the fore after the SC-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) member Diana Edulji alleged that CoA chief Vinod Rai acted upon Kohli's texts to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, which led to the departure of coach Anil Kumble.

Rai in his email stated that unlike T20 skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and her deputy Smriti Mandhana, who had emailed the BCCI, appealing for an extension to coach Ramesh Powar till the next T20 World Cup, no one sent emails pointing to their preferred coach in the controversy surrounding the men's team.

In response, Edulji reminded Rai: "I see nothing wrong in Women Cricketers writing emails reg the Coach. They were truthful in expressing their views unlike Virat who frequently sent sms's to the CEO [Rahul Johri] on which you acted and there was a change in the coach.

Diana Edulji and Vinod Rai

"There also I had objected and my dissent is recorded when the timelines were extended for someone to apply as he didn't apply in time." Edulji said the fallout between Kohli and Kumble made the legendary Indian leg-spinner look like a villain.

"Kumble, a legend in his own right, was subjected to loss of face and made to look like a villain. He was gracious enough to move on for which I respect him. There also rules were broken and I had raised objections back then," Edulji wrote. Edulji stressed that the opinion of Kaur and Mandhana should be given importance just like how Kohli backed Shastri for the job even though the deadline to apply for the post had passed.

"The Capt and vice Capt have requested their choice, so why can't we respect their choice for this tour till we get clarity on the committee? We can go ahead and continue with the same coach.

"The views of the two senior players must not be ignored. Virat did not accede to Kumble continuing in spite of CAC [Cricket Advisory Committee] saying so. Then why not these 2 players get what they feel is best for the team," Edulji wrote in her email to Rai which is accessed by mid-day.

Edulji also revealed that the CAC, consisting of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, has said that they want more time. "I would like to state that the CAC said they would have liked more time. We should give them the time and define their role better. "The applications we received can be kept in abeyance. So, one tour can be taken care of," she wrote.

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