Virat Kohli, India, West Indies, ODI series, Anil Kumble
Virat Kohli would not reveal the reasons behind his problems with Anil KumbleJewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

After Anil Kumble put out a strongly-worded statement following his decision to step down as the India coach, the next step towards closing this unsavoury chapter was to hear Virat Kohli's side of the story, and why he had such reservations over the legendary leg-spinner continuing with the team.

The first opportunity to do that was going to come in the pre-match press conference, when Virat Kohli would speak to the media ahead of the first one-day international against the West Indies in the Caribbean.

Obviously much of the media conference on Thursday was spent on questions over the Kohli-Kumble spat, but the India skipper refused to be drawn on the subject, taking the Las Vegas line by insisting what goes on in the dressing room, stays in the dressing room.

"We have created a culture over the last 3-4 years that whatever happens in the change room, we have tried to maintain the sanctity of the change room throughout," Kohli said. "That is what the whole team believes in. For us that is paramount.

"For me what's most important is to maintain the sanctity of the dressing room and what happens in the change room is something that's very sacred and private to all of us. And something that I would not express in details in a public scenario.

"As I said, his point of view is out there and we respect that decision."

Anil Kumble, Virat Kohli, India, West Indies, LOI series
A relationship that never blossomedJewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

That point of view from Kumble said his position as India coach had become untenable, with the captain expressing issues with his "style" of management. While Kumble did not hold back after ending his association with the India team after just one year, Kohli decided to take the "you will not get anything out of me," route.

Pressed on his relationship with Kumble and the rapport they had, Kohli, instead played it safe again, even if the ill-feeling between the two only became clearer when the India batting star deleted his tweet from exactly a year ago, welcoming Kumble as the new coach.

"Obviously Anil bhai has expressed his views and he has taken a decision to step out and we will respect that decision," Kohli added. "It's something that has happened right after the tournament.

"I have total respect for him as a cricketer and what he has achieved for the nation. All the years that he has played. There's no taking away that aspect of him at all. And we all respect him totally."

What Kohli's refusal to talk about the issue does is keep him in the "villain" territory, with Kumble still looking like the man that has been wronged. There might have been a really good reason(s) for Kohli to take the stand that he did over refusing to work with the man from Karnataka, but nobody will know why, unless the captain himself decides to open up.

The "sanctity of the dressing room" thing, though, is being taken seriously by Kohli and it remains to be seen when or even if the whole story will come out.

Until then, in the eyes of many, Kohli will remain that spoilt brat, who threw his toys out of the pram the moment somebody started to challenge his authority in the India team.