DAMBULLA, Aug 3: Indian coach Greg Chappell has written to cricket board to appoint a permanent team manager to take care of off-field activities so that he can concentrate on his job. “I think there is a role for someone on a permanent basis,” the former Australian captain said.

Unlike Australia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and some other Test playing countries, Indian team has never had a permanent administrative manager who could tour abroad as well as within the country. This forced coach to carry additional burden. When Chappell’s predecessor John Wright joined the team in late 2000 he was terribly overworked as he had to take care of everything, from collecting faxes to worrying about balls for practice sessions.

Chappell was probably only slightly better off when he took reins in June in Bangalore. He started with a preparatory camp at National Academy where all kinds of facilities were readily available. New coach obviously is keen to see that everything is organised and settled in 2005-06 season, comprising tours to Zimbabwe and West Indies, and home series against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa and England.

Indian team managers are appointed on a series to series basis, almost always to thank or appease those who had voted for ruling group in previous annual elections of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

“There is definitely a role for that (full time manager), and I’ve put it to BCCI that they consider it,” he said. Australia and South Africa are shining examples as far as understanding and meeting demands and needs of their national teams are concerned.

—Agencies