Wriddhiman Saha gives insider's view on differences between Anil Kumble and Ravi Shastri

New Delhi: In his first assignment as India head coach, Ravi Shastri has helped Virat Kohli & Co record a clinical 3-0 win in the just concluded three-match Test series in Sri Lanka. The win was also India's first ever whitewash in overseas series. But Shastri's return to the Indian camp, the process of hiring him for the top job, it all was a messy affair.

He replaced Anil Kumble, who had an "untenable" relationship with the captain. Their 'ego clash' or the differences in other aspects of cricket, specially on the coach-captain relationship, resulted in Kumble's acrimonious exit. His departure, in a way, felicitated the former Team Director's return.

But, not many knew how different the two coaches are.

Probably for the first time, an insider tried to highlight the difference between Kumble and Shastri. And the brave soul is Wriddhiman Saha, team's Test wicket-keeper.

According to him, Kumble, as against general perception, was not a strict coach. "I did not feel that way. As a coach, he had to be strict in some way or the other. Some have felt he is strict, some have not. I have never felt that way under Anil bhai," Saha told reporters today.

He then compared Shastri's style with that of Kumble, and said that "Anil bhai always wanted us to score big -- 400,500 and 600 and felt that the opponent can be bowled out within 150-200. That's not always possible."

"Ravi bhai, on the other hand, always tells us to go for the kill. Go out there and hit the opponent out of the park. This is the only difference I could see. Rest, both spoke positive stuff. When Ravi bhai was director, he was aggressive. In his new stint, he seems to have become more involved," 32-year-old added.

Saha returned home after completing his Test assignments. In his place, former captain and legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni will fulfill the keeper's role in the limited-overs' series, which starts on Sunday with the first of the five ODI matches. Then, there will be an one-off Twenty20 International match.