A blog by Â(c)hinaman

We all know Team India’s disastrous performance at the recent World Cup.
We also know, thanks to repeated leaks from the dressing rooms, Chappell’s excuses.
We know Chappell likened some of the senior players to the mafia.
We know his criticism of Sachin Tendulkar. And his brother Ian’s interference.
We also know Dravid failed to stand up for his players.

We know the senior players wanted to make a representation through Sachin tendulkar.
What we do not know what these players wanted to say.

BCCI has conveniently gagged the players, so that the truth would not come out.
It had to be a covert operation by TV channels that is now digging at the truth.

Over the next few days,
I will be revisiting some reports and statements from September 2005 till March 2007,
and refresh our memories with facts that are being conveniently ignored by some.

Let us first look at the report of this TV programme.

‘Dada, Sachin had problems with Rahul’ – TIMES NEWS NETWORK

NEW DELHI, May 8:
What has long been in the realm of innuendo and rumour – that India fared badly in the World Cup because of rifts between the senior players, and that coach Greg Chappell played an instrumental role in playing up the divisions – appears to have now been ‘confirmed’, in a way, by the national selectors themselves.

In a sting operation by a TV channel, selectors Bhupinder Singh Senior, Sanjay Jagdale, Venkatapathy Raju and Ranjeeb Biswal were shown as saying that Greg Chappell’s divide and rule policy, and his inability to tide over the rifts in the team because of his ego, led to the team performing poorly.

Bhupinder, who appeared to be the most vocal of the lot, also said that Sachin and Sourav did not lend their full support to Dravid because they nurtured captaincy ambitions of their own. Bhupinder added that the Board erred in not comprehending the situation and giving Chappell a warm send-off. “Jo main culprit tha usko lollipop de diya (the main culprit was given a lollipop). Greg Sachin ki pant utaar raha tha or Board ko mazaa aa raha tha (Chappell was embarrassing Tendulkar and the Board was enjoying the situation).”

Former international player Raju was equally scathing about Chappell’s role in the sordid episode, saying he had failed miserably to do the one thing he was hired for: coach the boys and help the team win. “Players had problems, but Chappell ne na kuch kara, na kuch dhara (he did nothing).”

Bhupinder, the North Zone selectorial candidate, was also forthcoming on the divisions within the team: “Sachin and Sourav were not with Dravid… they did not lend their support to the skipper. They had captaincy ambitions of their own, each had a few younger players supporting them.”

On Chappell, he said: “Chappell, especially in South Africa, would not be on talking terms with Sachin, Harbhajan and Sehwag for four-five days at an end, and the rift widened during the World Cup. If five players had ego problems, Chappell was the sixth problem. Chappell was always complaining, he wanted to tell the guys that he was the boss, he never liked the way things were done. Chappell had certain plans: Dravid is required, Sourav and Sachin are not required. This was a divide and rule policy which was disastrous.”

Biswal, from Orissa, said Chappell “could not understand the Indian psyche”. He added: “That was his biggest problem. Instead of being good friends with the players he acted like a schoolmaster.”

It wasn’t Chappell alone. Another selector, Sanjay Jagdale, who has also been manager on the recent tours, said that he had mentioned in his report how Yuvraj Singh’s nightlife had a negative influence on the team. The sting also featured Board secretary Niranjan Shah, who, when asked if players like Ganguly were being influenced by their endorsement clauses, replied: “Why only Dada? So many players have got endorsements…it is huge money. There is a grey area there. That is why the Board has put a three-endorsement cap on players.”

Shah also added that since Chappell was a “big player,” the boys were “uncomfortable” with him

It is being alleged that Sachin and Saurav were not with their skipper.

By my understanding,
its the captain’s duty towards his players to protect them from such an unfair coach.

Is it not more a case of Rahul Dravid not being with his teammates?

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