Kumble

Bangalore: Anil Kumble will be captaining the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the forthcoming T20 Champions League.

Kumble, it may be recalled, led the Vijay Mallya-owned franchise to the final of the last IPL, where the honours went to the Deccan Chargers.

“Kevin Pietersen isn’t available and Anil will continue to captain,” Brijesh Patel, the Royal Challengers’ head of cricket operations, told The Telegraph on Friday.

Had Pietersen, who recently underwent heel-surgery been available, then Mallya would have had a difficult call to make.

Kumble, after all, had only been standing-in for Pietersen, who’d left after the first six matches (four losses) as he was required for national duty back in England.

However, it was under Kumble (seven wins; three losses) that the franchise excelled.