The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : `India will have to work as hard as Australia'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 10, 2005

Sport

Sport - Cricket

`India will have to work as hard as Australia'

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: "I think the expectations placed on a coach are often misplaced. People need to understand a coach is limited by how much effort the players are willing to put in. You can do a lot of good things as a coach, but if the players don't respond to it — unless you can communicate and connect with them — it's not going to work," said Greg Chappell, the new coach of the Indian cricket team, in an exclusive interview in the latest issue of The Sportstar.

"I'll need to hit the right note with these guys, find the right level with them and get them to buy into the vision of being the best side, or one of the very best sides, in the world. If they buy into the vision, they're more likely to do the work required to get there. If they don't believe it, it will be hard to get them to commit to the work that needs to be done," the Australian stated.

Describing the `get to the know you period' between the time he begins his job in the middle of June and the first series in Sri Lanka early August as crucial, the stylish batsman of yesteryear expects the two-year coaching stint to be "exciting, challenging, frustrating, all of those. It will be a ride _ the big dipper."

Talking about his presentation to the Indian Board, titled `A Commitment to Excellence', Chappell said, "That's pretty much what it's all about as far as I'm concerned. If anyone wants to replace Australia as the best team in the world, then they're going to have to work as hard as the Australians do and be as creative."

Chappell said the India batting line-up has as much talent as anyone going around. "Getting 20 wickets is the critical thing to be a winning team. That's an area that will need some work," he cautioned.

Talking about Sachin Tendulkar, he said, "I just need to sit down with him and work out where he's at and where he wants to go. What expectations and what goals he has, and hopefully motivate him perhaps with some new challenges."

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