April 08, 2007	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 19, 1428

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

MUMBAI, April 7: India’s outgoing coach Greg Chappell on Saturday slammed the unprofessional set up in the country, saying, “If you want to be like Australia, you can't run your cricket like Zimbabwe.”

The former Australian captain, who quit as India coach after the team's first round exit in the World Cup, said long-term planning was needed to take India to the next level in international cricket.

“The Indians must adopt a 10-year plan, spelling out the aims and objectives and go about attaining those goals in a professional manner,”

Chappell, 58, told the Times of India in an interview.

“Any half measures or cosmetic changes at this stage would be like putting Band-Aid on cancer. If you want to be like Australia, you can't run your cricket like Zimbabwe.”

Chappell rued the team's first-round ouster in the World Cup after India were stunned by Bangladesh and also lost to Sri Lanka in the preliminary stage.

“I think we should have done much better in the West Indies with the squad we had,” he said.

“We batted poorly against Bangladesh, but we should have still squeezed out a win. History says India's record in defending low totals has been quite poor.

“We could have done with a few young legs, but I believe that we still had the ammunition to at least reach the semis.”

Chappell said he had enjoyed coaching India despite a controversial two-year term in which he reportedly annoyed senior players by his insistence on blooding young cricketers.

“As a coach, it was easily one of the most challenging assignments one could ever hope to have,” he said. “I have loved every moment of it, planning, strategising, analysing... before every tour or series.

“I don't want to get into (the) senior-junior issue again. Look, as a player, you have to keep challenging yourself. When that stops, it's time to do a quick reality check and take a few hard decisions.

“I came here to do a job that I have done to the best of my ability. I do not have any vested interests in Indian cricket. I have briefed the Indian board about the issues facing Indian cricket.

“One of them is youth development. It's up to the officials to act in the best interests of the game in the country.”

But Chappell also had high praise for senior cricketers, including Saurav Ganguly, who was ousted as captain and later thrown out of the team after a public spat with the Australian in 2005.

“He has practised most of what I had preached during the time he was out of the side,” Chappell said of Ganguly, who fought his way back into the team for the Test series in South Africa in December.

“Saurav has shown plenty of determination in winning his place back. I hope he continues to work hard on his fitness and score heavily for the team.”

Chappell said Sachin Tendulkar, the world's most prolific one-day batsman, should continue to bat down the order despite scoring most of his world record 41 centuries as an opener.“Opening is an easier option in one-day cricket,” he said.

Chappell also praised captain Rahul Dravid, saying he had the ‘utmost respect for him both as a person and a player’.

”It's not an easy task being the captain and also the side's best batsman but Rahul has managed that brilliantly. He deserves more credit and success.”—AFP