Cricket, the Chappell way

A horde of journalists from neighbouring India are expected to fly down to Sri Lanka not because they have attached any significant importance to the one-day tri-series involving the host country, India and West Indies starting at the end of the month, but for the fact that this will be Greg Chappell's debut series as coach of the Indian national team.

Chappell's already had a taste of the Indian media. After six hours with them his initial reaction was: "It's been a draining experience and a bit of a nightmare. I'm just not used to dealing with such a vast media. I'll have to learn a new set of skills like saying 'no' for starters. I don't want to do my coaching through the media."

Former New Zealand cricketer John Wright who was India's first foreign cricket coach and with less flair did not get as much media hype as Chappell and was able to perform his duties mostly from the back stage. He left India having improved their cricket all round.

Greg Chappell is so high profile that he cannot escape the attention of the media and this could prove to be his biggest stumbling block. Chappell once told them: "If I can handle you guys half my job will be done."

Knowing the Indian scribes and their hunger for any minuscule item of news one could ask the question whether Chappell's fate as coach will be decided by the Indian media or the Indian Cricket Board?

Another aspect which the scribes from India will be curious to find out is how Chappell handles the Indian team in the absence of two of its most experienced stars captain Sourav Ganguly who is serving a six-match ban for slow over rates and Sachin Tendulkar, struggling to overcome tennis elbow which has affected his career lately.

It has become a fad for countries to hire foreign cricket coaches especially those from Australia. Bob Simpson, the former Australian captain and coach said that one of the reasons why Australia produces good coaches is because of their work ethic, love for the game and their unbound enthusiasm for chasing a little red or white ball around the field.

Tom Moody is Sri Lanka's fourth coach from Australia since 1995. They've already had Dav Whatmore, Bruce Yardley and John Dyson. Bennett King, the former head coach of Australian Cricket Academy is now coach of the West Indies side.

India has Greg Chappell and Pakistan former England cricketer Bob Woolmer who was also one-time South African coach. Former Zimbabwe captain Duncan Fletcher is England's coach, Bangladesh have Dav Whatmore, and Zimbabwe Phil Simmons, the former West Indies cricketer.

The only countries that have their own national coaches are Australia (John Buchannan), New Zealand (John Bracewell) and South Africa (Mickey Arthur).

Modern time coaching is supposed to be scientific and professional and coaches today are struggling for their own identity, caught between the simple fundamentals of the game and the modern biomechanical and scientific theories.

We don't know about other coaches but Moody, the youngest of international coaches is a believer in simple fundamentals and philosophies. One hopes that cricket will benefit from every coach.

Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan vice-captain in a recent interview said: "The good thing about our team is that we have always improved with every coach who has been with us in the past five or six years. They always bring something to the team. With Moody also I hope we can do the same."

The modern trend with many teams today is to often travel with an operations unit which comprise a coach, assistant coach, manager, physio, trainer, computer analyst, batting coach, bowling coach, fielding coach, psychologist, dietician, tactician and media relations manager.

The current West Indies team touring Sri Lanka has a seven-member operations unit comprising manager, assistant manager, head coach, physiotherapist, strength and conditioning co-ordinator, sports psychologist and media officer. Quite a retinue.

Virtually everyone in the support group would be trying to retain his spot and prove that his expertise is essentially needed. The big question is whether the players have the time to utilize all these experts?