Virat Kohli spoke of his respect for Anil Kumble's achievements as a former Indian cricketer but refused to discuss their bitter falling-out in an effort to preserve "the sanctity of the changing room".

Kumble, India's all-time leading wicket-taker in Tests and one-day internationals, announced on Tuesday he no longer wished to extend his contract as head coach due to an "untenable partnership" with captain Kohli.

In their 12 months together, the pair steered India to the top of the Test rankings while Kumble's decision to step aside came just 48 hours after a shock defeat to Pakistan in the final of the Champions Trophy.

Kohli had played down reports of discord during the eight-team global tournament but Kumble's statement earlier this week meant all eyes were on the skipper as he spoke at his media conference ahead of the ODI series against West Indies.

But rather than engage in a public slanging match with an ex-India captain, Kohli was coy on the rift, saying: "Anil has expressed his views, he has taken a decision to step out and we all respect that decision.

"We have created a culture over the last three or four years that whatever happens in the changing room we have tried to maintain the sanctity of the changing room throughout and that is what the whole team believes.

"It's something that's very sacred and private to all of us, something that I would not express in details in a public scenario. His point of view is out there and we respect that.

"I have total respect for him as a cricketer and what he's achieved for the nation in all the years that he's played."

MV Sridhar, the general manager for cricket operations at the Board of Control for Cricket in India, is in interim charge of the team for the limited-overs series against the Windies that comprises of five ODIs and a solitary T20.

The first ODI gets under way on Friday at Port of Spain.