Mumbai: Vinod Rai, chief of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA), on Saturday hailed Anil Kumble for his "impeccable" role as India coach and said they will ensure cohesion in the team.

Kumble's reign as head coach of the Indian team ended on a bitter note as he withdrew from his position, saying captain Virat Kohli had "reservations" over his "style" of functioning. In his Facebook post, Kumble also said that his "partnership" as coach with Kohli had become "untenable."

Rai though played down the rift between Kohli and Kumble.

"If two persons are thrown together for 24 by 7, there will be difference of professional opinion, so what's there... His contract was for one year, there were perception, professional issues. He is more mature person, he decided that look, ok, fair enough... It is the captain who has to play on the field, isn't it ultimately?" Rai said after a meeting of CoA.

"Kumble's role has been absolutely impeccable. He has done very well as a coach. We will go in for a equally good professional to ensure that whether it is the captain or manager, there should be cohesion in the team," he said.

"What's there to discuss in the coach-captain issue? Listen, what's Anil Kumble statement, don't go by any statement... One good thing about Indian media is that they doesn't look into houses, bedrooms, so please don't look into dressing room," Rai said.

The BCCI has invited fresh applications for the coach's post and has extended the deadline for submission of applications to July 9.

The Board will most likely want the new coach to be finalised in time for India's tour of Sri Lanka that gets underway next month.

The already short-listed candidates for the post are Virender Sehwag, Lalchand Rajput, Tom Moody, Richard Pybus and Dodda Ganesh.

Ravi Shastri, who'd been the team director prior to Kumble's appointment, is considered by many to be Kohli's choice. The Cricket Advisory Committee comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman will decide on the next head coach.

The BCCI's SGM is on Monday and Sourav will be going to Mumbai for that. But the 44-year-old claimed that he was clueless about what the next step could be in identifying Kumble's replacement.