NEW DELHI, Sept 20: India went into Tuesday’s second Test against Zimbabwe in Harare with coach Greg Chappell playing down differences with captain Saurav Ganguly and blaming the media for fanning the controversy. Chappell, appointed India’s coach in June, was at the centre of a storm for asking Ganguly to step down as captain before last week’s first Test in Bulawayo because of his poor batting form.

Ganguly, India’s most successful Test captain, responded by carving out a painstaking six-hour century against the weakest attack in cricket and then revealed the dressing-room discussion with the coach to the media.

Chappell issued a hand-written statement ahead of the second Test, saying his efforts to motivate Ganguly had been misinterpreted as a call for the batsman to stand down as captain.

“It is disappointing that what was a private discussion between the captain and myself has become a cause of public speculation,” the former Australian skipper said.

“Even more disappointing is that much of what has been written does not represent the discussion fairly.

“It was a frank discussion about Indian cricket, present and future, and much of what I said was aimed at motivating Saurav for the Bulawayo Test.”

Newspapers on Tuesday splashed pictures of Chappell and Ganguly playing pool in the team hotel and greeting each other with a warm handshake before practice at the Harare Sports Club.—AFP