BIRMINGHAM: It’s India versus Pakistan on a cricket field once again, and for a brief while, the Indian subcontinent will be transplanted to the West Midlands, the new Mecca for cricket hopefuls from both sides. Celebration is in the air.
Indians and Pakistanis are thronging the gates of Edgbaston for a glimpse of their cricketing heroes, rubbing shoulders, screaming obscenities, freely doling out bear hugs and loudly proclaiming their allegiances. It’s easy to believe we are back in the 1990s.
However, intrigue has permeated the Indian camp, and talk of discord between coach
Anil Kumble and captain
Virat Kohli, amid a payment negotiation with the Indian cricket board, has dominated the build-up.
On Saturday, Kohli rubbished all talk of a “rift”, while equivocally stating that “agreements and disagreements happen”, before tearing into the media for “not admitting mistakes” in their coverage. “Agreements and disagreements happen,” the captain said.
“It’s normal to have disagreements, even at home. It’s human nature.”
Asked specifically if there were bad vibes brewing between him and Kumble, Kohli said, “There are no problems whatsoever. If something is put in place as a process, I don’t see why people are creating so much speculation about it. It’s been followed last time as well, and I didn’t see any issues being created last time. It’s the same process.”
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