Anil Kumble wants to address the progress of players who are dropped or are specialists in one format. (Source: Reuters) Anil Kumble wants to address the progress of players who are dropped or are specialists in one format. (Source: Reuters)

JUST A couple of days into his new role as head coach, Anil Kumble is looking at the bigger picture. And he’s called for a meeting on Sunday with Rahul Dravid, India U-19 coach, National Cricket Academy (NCA) coaches, Test captain Virat Kohli and limited-overs’ skipper MS Dhoni in Bangalore on the sidelines of the ongoing camp.

The senior and junior national selection committees will also attending the meeting and sharing their views. Kumbles intent for the joint discussion involving all stakeholders is to streamline the feeder system by getting all stakeholders on the same page with regards to the long-term goals for Indian cricket.

Kumble is keen on getting the Indian cricket board’s cricketing functions moving in a smooth manner and also for things to be more organised at every level, junior and senior, along the way. All participants at the meeting will be asked for suggestions on how they would go about enhancing the bench-strength for the Indian team and therefore giving it a lot more depth.

“Kumble wants things to run in a smoother fashion especially at the India A and U-19 level. He also wants for the coaching at the NCA to be more streamlined. It will be a meeting that’s first of its kind and it’s imperative that all the stakeholders present their views,” a top BCCI official said.

While the NCA has been the bedrock for the development of Indian cricket for a number of years, it hasn’t always lived up to its billing. And Kumble is expecting the centre to add more value to the team’s progress both now and in the future.

“Kumble is sure that if the Indian team has to move forward then all stakeholders will have to work together. He can’t change things on his own. The Indian team has played good cricket at home but he wants to get different views on what is needed for them to do well overseas, like probably having more exposure trips for our bench strength,” the source added.

In his first interaction after taking over, Kumble had spoken candidly about wanting to keep communication lines open with every player who dons India colours at all times, even if they are not directly in the mix at some point. “As a coach I would like to pick the phone and say listen, you are still part of the team. That is what I will look to do. Hopefully I will succeed in at least telling players who are dropped that they are still part of the system,” he had said.

And on Sunday, Kumble also wants to address the progress of players who are dropped from the squad or are specialists in one format and are not directly under the head coach when the team is busy playing the other formats. “He wants to make sure that every player in the system is being monitored at all times. Say a fast bowler is injured or he’s more of a Test specialist and is on the sidelines when the team’s playing a ODI series, Kumble wants routine reports on what they are up to as well,” the source added.

Meanwhile, the BCCI has decided that henceforth, rehabilitation programmes for all cricketers in the country will take place at the NCA instead of the Shri Ramachandran Medical College (SRMC) in Chennai. SRMCwill only be used as a centre for examining bowlers with suspect actions.

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