Anil Kumble's maiden run as head coach of Indian Test cricket team with Virat Kohli has been "sweet." The former Indian leg-spinner now wants to take that tasty momentum forward with limited overs skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Dhoni will lead India in the two-match T20 series against world champions the West Indies in Florida on Saturday and Sunday. This will be the first time former teammates Dhoni and Kumble will work as captain and coach.
"This is the first time that I'll be working with MS. Obviously, we have played together over a long period of time and we had a chat yesterday and today as well. I'm really looking forward to working with him," Kumble said in Florida on Friday.
The Kumble-Kohli partnership started on a sound note in the recently-concluded four-Test series in the West Indies. India won the series 2-0 after rain and bad outfield played spoilsport in the fourth Test at Port of Spain.
The long series in the Caribbean was serious fun. With ample opportunities to unwind after a hard day's play, Kumble played a big role in keeping a young team in good mood throughout.
Kumble has only words of praise for the Test team.
"Of course the start (of coaching career) always makes it that much sweeter when you've had success and I can't ask for a better set of players in terms of what I want from them," Kumble said.
"They are extremely committed, very disciplined and you tell them what you need and they are ready to put their hand up and do it."
The T20s against West Indies will be a grudge series of sorts. India were ousted by the Caribbeans in the semifinal of the World T20 in March this year.