The Hindu : Front Page : Greg Chappell appointed India coach

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 21, 2005

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Greg Chappell appointed India coach

Special Correspondent

NEW INNINGS, NEW GREETING STYLE: Greg Chappell did not take long to take to Indian ways after being appointed coach of the national cricket team in New Delhi on Friday. Before accepting cricket fans' greetings with a smile, the former Australian captain pledged his ``commitment to excellence to Indian cricket on and off the field.'' — Photo: Sandeep Saxena

NEW DELHI: Greg Chappell will succeed John Wright as India's cricket coach. The former Australian captain was appointed for a two-year term, which will run till the end of the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean.

"I'm happy with the contract," Mr. Chappell said at a press conference here on Friday.

Interestingly, it was the media that got to know of Mr. Chappell's selection to the post first. The candidate himself was informed later.

The decision of the panel, comprising former Test cricketers Sunil Gavaskar, S. Venkataraghavan and Ravi Shastri, apart from BCCI president R.S. Mahendra, BCCI secretary S. K. Nair and the former BCCI president, Jagmohan Dalmiya, was said to be "unanimous" in picking Mr. Chappell ahead of Tom Moody, Mohinder Amarnath and Desmond Haynes. Obviously Mr. Chappell scored with his presentation that highlighted his vision to look at the overall structure of Indian cricket.

An unrivalled thinker of the game, Mr. Chappell is expected to lift the sagging spirits of the Indian team, which has hit a trough in recent months.

Considered one of the greats of the game, Mr. Chappell scored 7110 runs from 87 Tests at an impressive average of 53.86. He was also a successful captain, winning 21 of the 48 Tests that he led Australia in.

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