Difficult to replicate Anil Kumble's success as Team India coach: Virender Sehwag

Mumbai: While Virender Sehwag remains frontrunner to replace Anil Kumble as India coach, the former India openers said that it will be difficult to step into his former captain’s shoes.

Kumble, following differences with India skipper Virat Kohli, stepped down as India coach after India’s ICC Champions Trophy campaign. While he was given an extension till the West Indies tour, Kumble decided to resign from the post with immediate effect.

The Kumble vs Kohli saga continued to make buzz as BCCI invited applications for the post of Team India head coach last month with the likes of Sehwag, Tom Moody, Lalchand Rajput, Richard Pybus and Dodda Ganesh applying for the role.

While BCCI and the Cricket Advisory Committee of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman tried to broker peace between Kumble and Kohli, the relationship between the two was beyond repairs.

In the wake of this, Sehwag emerged as one of the favourites to be India’s new coach even as BCCI has decided to invite more applications for the post.

Sehwag, on Wednesday, though made it clear that it will be a big task to fit into Kumble’s shoes.

“I never played under him as a coach but he supported me as a senior player in my playing days. He was my senior, my captain. I don’t know him as a coach but his performances in last one year as a coach, it will be a difficult job for his successor to replicate his success. It will be difficult for anyone to fit into his boots,” Sehwag was quoted as saying to UCWeb.

“His achievements as a coach will be hard to replicate. I can’t comment on his coaching style but as a senior, as a player there is no one better than him,” added Sehwag.