Kumble

Calcutta: Team India coach Gary Kirsten’s comment that ODI and Twenty20 captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was “ready” for the job at the Test level too hasn’t caused a storm, but has definitely created a ripple or two.

A coach doesn’t have a role in the captain’s appointment, but he’s in an important position and could influence the people who matter.

Greg Chappell, for example, did just that for much of his 23-month tenure. Kirsten’s profile, however, is pretty different.

Getting back to what the coach said, chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar, for one, chose not to encourage what could become an issue of some debate.

“Kirsten has expressed his personal view and I don’t wish to react,” Vengsarkar told The Telegraph.

Speaking on Wednesday morning, he added: “As a matter of principle, I avoid saying anything on individuals… Also, being the selection committee chairman, I don’t think it would be proper to speak on the leadership skills of either Kumble or Dhoni…”

Vengsarkar (a former India captain, by the way) pointed out that, in any case, the captain for the next Test series — a four-match affair at home, versus Australia — would be picked by the new selection committee.

“Our term ends later this month… We won’t be appointing the captain for the series against Australia,” he stated.

Dhoni

While Dhoni is days away from completing 12 months as the ODI and Twenty20 captain, Kumble’s debut (in a full-fledged role) was in November last year.

In fact, at one stage, after Sachin Tendulkar declined the captaincy, Dhoni had been favoured to lead in the Tests as well. However, Vengsarkar and Co. felt that the Test captain needed to be somebody with experience.

Kumble, it may be noted, has completed 18 years of international cricket — his India debut had actually been only a few months after Sachin’s — and he’s been focusing on Tests alone from after the 2007 World Cup.

The recent Test series in Sri Lanka didn’t go off well, but Kumble had been absolutely outstanding (on and off the field) during last season’s high-on-profile clash in Australia.

We lost that series 1-2, but with some luck (and proper umpiring at the SCG, in particular), the result could even have been 2-1 in our favour.

Dhoni, on the other hand, has registered memorable firsts in the shorter forms of the game.

Not that it should be a factor in Test cricket, but Dhoni (27) is a good 10 years younger than Kumble.