The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : No need for changes in team, says Chappell

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 11, 2005

Sport

Sport - Cricket

No need for changes in team, says Chappell

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Even though the Indian team failed in its first venture under Greg Chappel, the Australian legend still believes that "the same combination could be motivated into a winning one."

Chappell was speaking to newsmen soon after the Indian team's arrival here from Colombo on Wednesday afternoon. Missing in the team were skipper Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and V.V.S. Laxman, who it was learnt, had directly flown to Bangalore from Colombo.

Chappell maintained that it was the Indian batsmen who had failed. "Our bowling and fielding were fairly consistent, but batting needs to be improved. We did the best that we could. Sri Lankans played very well. We learnt a few things from them. We've got some things to work on," he said, adding that the "situation did not warrant any drastic changes in the team composition."

On whether J.P. Yadav should have been played, considering he was an allrounder and could have come in handy as a fifth bowler, the Aussie great quipped "perhaps we could have played him."

Clearly wishing to put behind whatever happened in Colombo, Chappell said the time now was for planning ahead for the upcoming Zimbabwe tour.

"I have learnt many lessons," he said, without elaborating, though his insistence that "we need to field better, bowl better and bat better" is an indication of how he has summed up the team's show.

Meanwhile the players dispersed from here, taking connecting flights to their respective destinations.

Special Correspondent adds from Kolkata

`Deserving winner'

Sourav Ganguly returned home on Wednesday evening and lavished praise on Sri Lanka for emerging a deserving winner.

"Sri Lanka deserved to win the Cup. It played consistently throughout the tournament,'' he said on his arrival at the Dum Dum airport.

Ganguly, who missed the first two matches because of an ICC-imposed ban, attributed a stiff asking rate to India's loss in the final.

Ganguly added he had overcome the injury he sustained during the league game against the West Indies.

Sports Reporter adds from Colombo

Crisis of confidence

"We lost too many wickets, didn't make enough runs," said Chappell, a disappointed tongue in cheek, after the IndianOil Cup final defeat to Sri Lanka on Tuesday. "Apart from that we did quite well."

Chappell said it was India's game to win. "Life's a bit like that. We were in a position to win three, four of these five games. It's not satisfying but there were some good signs."

On Virender Sehwag's blitz, the Australian said: "He played some good shots. He broke the game open; we needed him to continue at least through the 15 overs. But you can't pick one player in isolation."

Was India's old bogey — a lack of killer instinct — back? "It's not what I'd use. I'd say it's a confidence thing. The team has not been going well in ODIs in recent times." Chappell called it a "crisis of confidence."

Rahul Dravid was understandably morose. "Yuvraj's wicket and my run out were the turning points," he said, adding the run out was his fault.

"I hit it harder than I thought and ran with the shot."

The Indian skipper said he went in with five bowlers because India, in past finals, had conceded too many runs. "I backed my batsmen."

He rejected any thoughts of his keeping wickets again, saying the same old methods brought the same results. "Dhoni is someone who has had a bit of success. We've invested in him."

He refused to comment on the issue of captaincy, saying he had had a tough night and little time to collect his thoughts.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport