the 'actual' leaked report
Here is the translation of the article that appeared in Ananadabazar patrika. Note they are the ones who would probably have had access to the actual leaked report, the other media channels picking the story from them..and this from another of our regulars here kban1. Thanks a lot kban1.
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GC has indicated in strong terms that he does not want SG as captain. This is expressed in a 6 page email sent to RS Mahendra within hours of GC and SG’s public patch up. For the first time in world history, a coach has come out in writing against the team captain.
The email makes the following main complaints about SG
1) SG is desperate to retain leadership in the team --he has created rifts and groups within the team to accomplish this
2) Physical and mental fitness of SG is not up to par.
3) He has lost the his teammates trust and confidence.
4) SG provides imagined /feigned injuries as excuses.
5) If 2007 WC is the goal, then SG’s outlook and attitude is far from ideal.
6) SG does not follow through with training /regimen programs set for him
As per the report, despite the win in the test series, the team is divided with RD, AK, and several others siding with GC while HS, ZK, and possibly VS are in SG’s corner. The faction livid with GC has already spoken with Gavaskar in Harare while the faction in favor of GC has already spoken with Ravi Shastri in Harare. A situation has developed which is reminiscent of the rifts that were present during the SG-Kapil and Azzu-SRT eras.
When SG was contacted by the paper he responded by saying “I have heard of the email. What I need to say, I shall say to the board. Hopefully, the Board will give me a chance to explain my position”.
Within trusted circles, SG has been furious about the issue saying “this speaks volumes about the character of any person who writes such an email within hours of publicly making up”.
SG is particularly furious about the insinuation about a so-called “divide and rule” policy. He has confided to a close friend in Harare:
In 5 years of captaining the team I have never heard this accusation. The practice of regionalism and favoritism in selection ended during my tenure as captain. Even my harshest critics cannot complain that I back players out of regional favoritism. Yet GC, who hasn’t been with the team for more than a few days, suddenly arrives at the conclusion that I am creating groups to hold on to my captaincy.
Speaking with trusted people, SG has opined that “he couldn’t ever imagine GC behaving like this in such a short time”.
The paper adds that it is well known that RD and other senior players wanted Tom Moody as coach while SG wanted GC. In fact Steve Waugh wanted SG to choose Moody, not GC. Waugh had warned SG in Calcutta that SG was making a mistake by backing GC’s candidacy, a warning that SG must be remembering now.
Although SG would not comment to the paper, the paper has learnt from a reliable source that SG has already gathered his fitness and progress report cards (that will refute the allegations) from the training staff to bolster his defense.
The article surmises that it is obvious both parties have lost faith and confidence in each other and working together in the future will be a problem. The question is who will have to leave ?
Which in turn raises the question (as per the paper) – what is the actual problem ? Sourav backers say it is definitely strange that a person who has managed the team well over the past 5 years has turned bad overnight. The same people point out that anti SG comments were made by GC as far back as Colombo, where SG was not even the captain.
SG’s personal opinion (again expressed to his trusted circle) is that the problem stems from the question –who is the actual boss ? And it is this main issue that has led to other issues.
This theory has been supported by several other people in the know, all of whom have indicated that the main problem is one related to leadership issues.
As per the paper’s sources, problems between the 2 reached a boiling point in Zimbabwe and was characterized by a few high pitched exchanges between the two. One of these (in front of VVS) got to a point that SG told GC that the latter would do well to learn ODI’s batting from the former.
The rest of the article (1.5 paragraphs) talks about which way Team India will go – Chappel way or Sourav Ave, the review on September 27th and asks who will sit in judgment – Mahendra or Pawar etc. It mentions that the team returns to India on Friday night.
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GC has indicated in strong terms that he does not want SG as captain. This is expressed in a 6 page email sent to RS Mahendra within hours of GC and SG’s public patch up. For the first time in world history, a coach has come out in writing against the team captain.
The email makes the following main complaints about SG
1) SG is desperate to retain leadership in the team --he has created rifts and groups within the team to accomplish this
2) Physical and mental fitness of SG is not up to par.
3) He has lost the his teammates trust and confidence.
4) SG provides imagined /feigned injuries as excuses.
5) If 2007 WC is the goal, then SG’s outlook and attitude is far from ideal.
6) SG does not follow through with training /regimen programs set for him
As per the report, despite the win in the test series, the team is divided with RD, AK, and several others siding with GC while HS, ZK, and possibly VS are in SG’s corner. The faction livid with GC has already spoken with Gavaskar in Harare while the faction in favor of GC has already spoken with Ravi Shastri in Harare. A situation has developed which is reminiscent of the rifts that were present during the SG-Kapil and Azzu-SRT eras.
When SG was contacted by the paper he responded by saying “I have heard of the email. What I need to say, I shall say to the board. Hopefully, the Board will give me a chance to explain my position”.
Within trusted circles, SG has been furious about the issue saying “this speaks volumes about the character of any person who writes such an email within hours of publicly making up”.
SG is particularly furious about the insinuation about a so-called “divide and rule” policy. He has confided to a close friend in Harare:
In 5 years of captaining the team I have never heard this accusation. The practice of regionalism and favoritism in selection ended during my tenure as captain. Even my harshest critics cannot complain that I back players out of regional favoritism. Yet GC, who hasn’t been with the team for more than a few days, suddenly arrives at the conclusion that I am creating groups to hold on to my captaincy.
Speaking with trusted people, SG has opined that “he couldn’t ever imagine GC behaving like this in such a short time”.
The paper adds that it is well known that RD and other senior players wanted Tom Moody as coach while SG wanted GC. In fact Steve Waugh wanted SG to choose Moody, not GC. Waugh had warned SG in Calcutta that SG was making a mistake by backing GC’s candidacy, a warning that SG must be remembering now.
Although SG would not comment to the paper, the paper has learnt from a reliable source that SG has already gathered his fitness and progress report cards (that will refute the allegations) from the training staff to bolster his defense.
The article surmises that it is obvious both parties have lost faith and confidence in each other and working together in the future will be a problem. The question is who will have to leave ?
Which in turn raises the question (as per the paper) – what is the actual problem ? Sourav backers say it is definitely strange that a person who has managed the team well over the past 5 years has turned bad overnight. The same people point out that anti SG comments were made by GC as far back as Colombo, where SG was not even the captain.
SG’s personal opinion (again expressed to his trusted circle) is that the problem stems from the question –who is the actual boss ? And it is this main issue that has led to other issues.
This theory has been supported by several other people in the know, all of whom have indicated that the main problem is one related to leadership issues.
As per the paper’s sources, problems between the 2 reached a boiling point in Zimbabwe and was characterized by a few high pitched exchanges between the two. One of these (in front of VVS) got to a point that SG told GC that the latter would do well to learn ODI’s batting from the former.
The rest of the article (1.5 paragraphs) talks about which way Team India will go – Chappel way or Sourav Ave, the review on September 27th and asks who will sit in judgment – Mahendra or Pawar etc. It mentions that the team returns to India on Friday night.
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posted by worma at
11:41 AM
126 Comments:
All this mess could have been avoided had Ganguly been wise enough to quit a year ago when he was clearly on a high and had the respect of the team and the public. Or again it could have been avoided if the selectors hadn't made the stupid mistake of sacking Dravid after Sri Lanka.
By
Gaurav, at 11:52
v. interesting. thanks, kban1
By
Anonymous, at 11:53
Again, trusted circles give a lot of insight. I wonder why nobody has a problem with these trusted circles, whereas when trusted circles speak against SG, it is a huge credibility issue.
Speaking with trusted people, SG has opined that “he couldn’t ever imagine GC behaving like this in such a short time”.
This could be the single biggest problem for SG. He might have expected that since he "hand-picked" GC, GC would do his private shopping as well as all the laundry work. As soon as he finds that GC has his own identity (plus a work culture that is beyond SG's capability), GC becomes a thorn in the flesh.
SG is particularly furious about the insinuation about a so-called “divide and rule” policy. He has confided to a close friend in Harare:
In 5 years of captaining the team I have never heard this accusation. The practice of regionalism and favoritism in selection ended during my tenure as captain. Even my harshest critics cannot complain that I back players out of regional favoritism. Yet GC, who hasn’t been with the team for more than a few days, suddenly arrives at the conclusion that I am creating groups to hold on to my captaincy.
Again, if this is what the article says, then nice try, SG in diverting from the truth. No one accused you of playing regional favouritism. That doesnt also mean that you havent divided the team based on other parameters.
By
Toney, at 12:03
sauravganguly,
So many people have hinted at the division in the team. Everything doesnt have to be based on regional bias. And no one ever accused him of doing that. But does that mean that he's also guiltless of these so called factions within the team? If everything that an anadabaazaar pathirka has to be believed, then there are lots of matters in other papers that are to be believed. It has to work both ways, right?
By
Toney, at 12:10
i think we can all now appreciate what a great job John Wright did!
maybe we should sack BOTH GC and SG, and bring back JW, with Dravid at the helm.
By
Arjun Swarup, at 12:16
sauravganguly,
All that most level headed coaches ask for is attitude. Even JW used to be just. Remember how Gavaskar said some youngsters in the team abused Wright? And the recent revelation that it might have been ZK who nearly came to blows with Wright when asked to do some extra work? Wright, being a milder and more accomodating person, might have kept quite. Or maybe, the system bought him over too.
But GC doesnt have to do that. What I found most disturbing was Sahi's comments that GC made the players do too much work. And Sahi being the mouth piece of SG, guess wo has those views? The captain of the team. So, who has the attitude problem? SG
Which brings me to the VS issue. Which aspect of GC's coaching manual do you think VS will be against?
By
Toney, at 12:18
It's interesting that Steve Waugh warned against Chappell. Wonder what reputation Chappell has amongst Australian cricketers? I still think Chappell is basically a good guy, but to be a good coach you have to resolve disputes and make a molehill out of a mountain, not the other way around. Chappell's job is to solve problems, not create them.
For example, if Ganguly is not following the fitness routines, Chappell's job is to make sure he does, without making a big fuss about it.
It's unfortunate that Sachin has not been around. Because Chappell would not have been able to attack Sachin like he's been attacking Ganguly. So he would have had to take a more flexible and productive approach. Because every good coach is flexible, and knows how to deal with all types of players.
By
Anonymous, at 12:19
sauravganguly, I agree about Sehwag. And tendulkar, too. I also share your concerns about automatons.
By
Anonymous, at 12:21
"One of these (in front of VVS) got to a point that SG told GC that the latter would do well to learn ODI’s batting from the former"
Hopefully VVS didn't pat Ganguly after he said this:)
By
Anonymous, at 12:26
sauravg,
I have heard that argument before. But how do we know that GC quashes flair and brings only method to the team? I remember some people saying that GC's methods wont go down well with the culture in India, that Indians are not used to discipline etc. So what? Think like this: Indians ahve, on their day, achieved extremely good results, almost entirely with the ir flair. If GC finds a way for the players to consistently come up with this flair and perform, would that be so bad? After all, that is what a coach is for, right?
By
Toney, at 12:27
sauravgangguly,
Once again, may I know the reasons for not wanting GC as coach? Was it the egoistic nature or the over-zealous focus on fitness and method?
I totally agree with point 1, though I should say, dont think he'll ever be able to leave with any grace now. He has lost all respect.
By
Toney, at 12:42
dementor,
i agree. chappell was selected by a comitee of shastri sunny venkat and the board president himself and now if he is made to leave, how will it reflect upon the credibility of this comitee ?
By
Gaurav, at 12:45
arjun, I agree winning is everything. But there's a reason Anju Bobby George doesn't play for India, even though she's very fit;) I'm not denigrating the importance of fitness and fielding. They are important, all your players ahould be as fit and be as good fielders as possible.
But at the end of the day it's a cricket match, and you've got to pick players based on their ability to play cricket and win cricket matches, not on anything else.
By
Anonymous, at 12:46
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
By
Ginkgo, at 12:47
sg,
You are the first person ever to say that people dont improve with fielding drills. In fact, most people who have played cricket at the highest level have often stated that fielding is probably the only skill in cricket which can be refined through training. And Azhar wasnt the same when he started the career. Rememeber at one stage, Azhar and RSingh were the fittest men in the team? And any guesses for telling who the best fielders were then?
ZK can be made a safe fielder if he puts the effort into it (of course, under the condition that he doesnt go punching his coach).
By
Toney, at 12:47
Strict Cricket coaches is a misnomer.
CANNOT exist....I repeat CANNOT., though I equally confirm to the view point that it is time up for Ganguly.
I am afraid, India is going the SA way. Their prev coach was said to be a strict disciplinarian and almost the whole team had problems. The most affected was Adam Boucher.
But he brought a work ethic and he has now been replaced. Infact, in the recent Graeme Smith interview on cricinfo, He has not fully recognised his achievements, even though SA has gained much during his tenure.
His comments were something like, " He is more of wicketkeeping coach. He brought stress on some areas."
He did not overly attack him or go gaga over him.
Indian cricket probably needs a similar thing. They would do well to appoint Dravid who has the poise to deal with Chappell.
In my opinion Chappell is not our Long term solution.
He is probably thinking that he is dealing with a bunch of high school dropouts. Needs to know he is dealing with ppl that have ego as big as his own., if not more.
The best option for everyone now is grit and bear...say for atleast a year, absorb as much as they can and when they cannot go any further, drop Chappell for maybe Waugh., much like what SA did with their prev coach.
They need not wait until the worldcup for that.
Infact, we stand to gain more by having chappell stay and perform his job than the other way around.
He is gonna ruffle everyones feathers, right from the cricketers to the board administrators., but he is the need of the hour.
I am sure, Gavaskar and Shastri are chuckling beneath all the show that they are putting up.
Gink
By
Ginkgo, at 12:47
ginkgo...I have similar feelings...but I dont know....I think Shastri, with his bunch on players...and gavaskar with his bunch...should come together and talk.....with no GC or SG involved....and see what they feel about the coach. One year down the line...well its better to let go now...if that is the case. And dont worry about the world laughing or some such thing. And if this bunch thinks GC is valuable....then so be it. And action for SG is decided based on it.
By
worma, at 12:54
worma,
why wud the players not back GC ? Pathan has come out openly to praise him - Kaif did so; he has helped out Yuvi and Kaif - and as for the seniors they shud be mature enuf to get along with him - if a couple of SGs chamchas have problems with him its best to dismiss them along with SG.
By
Gaurav, at 12:58
mayur,
i agree ... there is no need to take the players opinion ... or even if it is taken it shud be given only partial weightage .. after all the board has selected the coach for the wc - if he fails, he can be sacked then - but until then he must be backed ... this is weird to say the least ... it wud never happen in a corporate setting ...
By
Gaurav, at 13:02
gk...boss...let them back him then? why should we predict what they will do...I mean after all GC and SG have also praised each other so much...RD has praised SG...SG has praised RD and Laxman etc etc....so if there is a schism in players...let them sit and understand each others problems....and come to mutual conclusion...without the influence of SG and GC.....in fact forget SG....just concentrate on GC....because that will anyway decide the fate of SG.
..and I dont believe in SG's chamcha kind of talk....there is no such thing.....they are all mature important players...who have worked with each other for a while now..done well...achieved a lot.....lets not see the 'team' getting compromised at any cost.
By
worma, at 13:04
mayur....i said I want them to sit together and sort out...not 'tell gavaskar or shastri' what they want....I think they are all mature players...
By
worma, at 13:05
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
By
Ginkgo, at 13:07
I seriously we need GC more at this juncture.
The whole team doesnt have the work ethics and itz pretty easy to lose everything that we gained from Wright.
So we need someone that can whip their arses.
I knw itz going to be hard, but hey we are at the bottom of the nadir and if things are in the present state, we are gonna have a resounding defeat at the hands of SL first and then Pak.
If ganguly is smart, he will realise this team is gonna hit the nadir against SL and esp Murali and Vaas., and will back off before that.
Ganguly is only going to create more splits by staying on and this way no body will focus on the series.
A test route like Murali bowled us out for 69+ in Sharjah will not be ruled out if this spat continues.
Ganguly, thanks for everything...
and remember there is a test batsman role still open for u.
Channelize all your anger against SL and its spinners especially and you., but please give up the captaincy and end the spat.
You can still go out with head held high..
By
Ginkgo, at 13:07
@worma,
IF there are any chamchas and I have a strong suspicion there are ... altho i wont accuse anyone.
@sauravganguly
u need to take into account the quality of ganguly's 100 and the same of pathan's bowling ... anyway i don't think gangs century was rubbish ... it was a fair effort ... just nothing to gloat about ... just as we are not gloating about RDs 98
By
Gaurav, at 13:07
@gingko
I cant see how ganguly can go with his head held high if what GCs email says is indeed true - wrt him "creating" factions in the team.
I mean sure he served Indian cricket a great deal in the past - but then so did Azhar but he made a mistake and cudnt go with his head held high
Admittedly sourav's mistakes are nowhere as heinous as Azhar's but the principle is the same ...
He built this team brick by brick and is himself destroying it
By
Gaurav, at 13:10
gingko....SG giving us captaincy is ok....I agree....but it will still not solve the issue mate. Would GC, after saying all he did, and what SG has said in media...would be they ready to work with each other? And forget SG for a while...I think GC and the players would *still* have issues.
By
worma, at 13:11
we have this very bad habit in india of judging ppl instantaneously ... GC has hardly had 3 months with this team ... give him some time for God's sake ... worse, there are ppl who already predict that dravid will be a poor captain becoz of his record as captain in the few opportunities he has got ... for gods sake how can u expect a standin skipper to come up with his own ideas - give him a full season at least ...
By
Gaurav, at 13:13
@sauravganguly and worma
this shud have been thot thru BEFORE appointing GC as coach ... we knew what to expect from him ... i agree with the comitees decision of selecting him ... did u not agree with them at that point of time ??
By
Gaurav, at 13:15
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
By
Ginkgo, at 13:17
ya guys, I agree...
All I was trying to say was, Gnguly can still redeem himself by still getting his batsman position in the team to count.
The captaincy thing is a gone case.
About chappell, he defn has a big ego...I never said anything different.
But someone with firm conviction is needed at this hour. We dont know if its right or wrong. We made a choice with him, Lets see where he takes us.
That is why I said, Give him a year, not even till the world cup.
Just see how he performs.
All i say is, he is the best to change the work ethic and the culpability that the Indian team soo lacks..
He will make sure the team falls into shape.
Give him a year to do what he has in his mind.
I am sure we will not be fuming as much.
Totally agreed, that Chappells behavior is an affront to not just the team but to the Indian fan as well.
All I say is, let him show his wares and what he is capable of bringing which is in one word, PROMISING.
By
Ginkgo, at 13:17
@sauravganguly
i meant - when the appointment of the coach was made, did you think at that point of time that it was the wrong choice ?
also, i think dravid will make a good captain if given the chance
By
Gaurav, at 13:20
Worma,
The next captain and GC will be more wary of each other. They will be more than interested in seeing that this new arrangement works.
The players will also know they mean business.
And to me Dravid is someone that is not as in your face as Ganguly and that works against chappell.
I see chappell as a person that gives in to reason and im sure Dravid can provide that more than Ganguly.
I remember chappell saying in an earlier interview about Coach -cap relationship., " I agree the captain is the man on the field. But if his idea is not working, I will not hesitate to tell him either during the break or send someone in and tell him to try out a diff idea that he might have"
We defn need him. "I am totally ready to swallow my ego and work with him. and I expect as much from the coach" should be the motto of every player.
By
Ginkgo, at 13:21
gk....so you want to give everything a 'chance' before judging? Hmm....there are many political parties exploiting this sentiment....'give us a chance'....did you know that?
I am not saying that GC is necessarily bad for the team...let the players view be taken...let others close to the team(sunny, shastri) also give their opinion...because the board and the selectors etc are in the worse position to judge GC anyways. And if things are within control, then give him that 'time' that you are mentioning.
And if things are worse than they look to us, and those closer to action agree to that, then I think giving more time can be harmful also.
By
worma, at 13:22
Right I agree on that worma,
Ppl should sit and talk with the coach as well just as they do with the players and say "This behaviour is not acceptable"
We need a more proactive and more accomodating approach and little bit more maturity.
Once they get the point across. Im sure we are gonna see results.
By
Ginkgo, at 13:24
gingko..sure that is possible....if only its 'ego' that the players have to swallow...and by doing that things come to a workable level. If it requires more on their part....some of which they can't possibly succumb to...then this kind of move can actually take team further back (yes thats possible!)
By
worma, at 13:25
@worma
if a comitee of shastri gavaskar etal has to recommend sacking chappell 3 months after they themselves selected him where o where will the esteem of their judgement lie ? i think the players need to be told - u have to work with this man - shape up or get out.
By
Gaurav, at 13:26
gk...yes despite their own choosing the coach..if they feel from evidence on ground he is harming the cause...they should also 'swallow their ego' and reccomend his removal....I think all decisions should be pragmatic...and not driven by any emotions or egos.
And boss....why are you so sure GC is good? Let the players say, observers etc give their verdict. We cannot judge him from hearing public statements given by player...or he himself. If he is good...the conclusion would be anyway reached after all.
By
worma, at 13:34
jd I agree with you...thats why I didnt say just take opinion poll from players..i said let them sit together..along with shastri sunny etc...and then understand each other.....because they have been a team (and a good team) together for so long.....so they should atleast give a full hearing to all issues....and hopefully be able to decide the best also....adn then present those reccomendations to board and selectors etc...via the review committee (sunny, shastri are already there)
By
worma, at 13:36
oh Worma, we can only talk from out viewpoint and how we percieve things..
Its no use saying, letz not decide.
Let the players say.
If thts the case, all this blog thing we do is totally meaningless.,aint it.
The players will say, the administrators will decide, But then we can as well say things from what we percieve..
After all, we are arm chair critics...arent we :-)
By
Ginkgo, at 13:36
dementor, as i said earlier....throw out SG...and I still dont think the issue is solved....and I agree coach also needs time as players do (something which I have myself been promoting in comments....since SL days when people were criticising him over un-necessary changes in lineup...experimentations etc).....but all that is not applicable now...because his is a special situation....it is a confrontationtionist approach
By
worma, at 13:42
gingko....ofcourse we are armchair critics....and we should give opinions here. Actually, this is also an opnion(my opinion) that we should have a discussion and appraisal of situation within players....observers like sunny etc.
This is not actual course of action, this is also arm chair criticism only boss. Or do you think our board will agree with me and organise the players meeting :-)
By
worma, at 13:46
@suraj
i agree. GC has walked into Indian cricket ala Shahrukh Khan in KHNH ...
@worma
tell me one thing that GC has done that is wrong - that will tell you why I think he is so good.
By
Gaurav, at 13:47
gk..I dont know ANYTHING which GC has done right or wrong. And neither do you. This is what I have been saying all along. Let those who know, and those who are affected by his actions discuss together and give their opinion. No?
By
worma, at 13:50
dementor....no I am not saying he is confrontationalist as such....just my opinion on how he has tackled these specific issues (while not being ethically wrong..)...he may after all be an accomodating person while working with the players..
By
worma, at 13:52
@worma ... ok ... let those who know do what they have to and what should i do ? go to sleep ?
on a more serious note, one can never be 100% sure of anything ... but u will agree that without fire there will be no smoke and there has to be an element of truth to all that has been coming out of the media .. hell, forget that - even a year ago, we cud see that this team was no longer a team - on this blog itself it was discussed and generally agreed that something very sinister happened at nagpur and SGs relation with the rest of the team has never been the same since ... if someone is trying to hold him accountable for all that don't u think it is right ? or shud we sack him and destroy the only hope of cleansing this feudal, aristocratic rule that ganguly has set up
By
Gaurav, at 13:54
sure gk a lot is wrong with this team....and SG....I agree. Not sure if GC is the answer....
and no, why should you go to sleep. We should continue arguing :-)....because as I said, thats what we are doing boss...its not as if the board would call the 'winner' between us and ask for his opinions :-))
By
worma, at 13:56
dementor...by 'people in know' I dont mean BCCI, selectors etc....I specifically said they are in the *worst* position to know anything...
By
worma, at 13:58
@worma
what makes u feel GC is not the answer ?
By
Gaurav, at 13:58
Did you read this on Cricketnext.com
CHAPPELL SHOULD BE SACKED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT
By Sanjay Jha
I was in between flights, when I heard this sensational story of Greg Chappell’s e-mail to BCCI describing Sourav Ganguly as “ mentally and physically unfit”. Frankly, at the time of writing, everyone is so busy speculating on the content of the purported mail, it is as dicey to make predictions on it as it is to guess which way will the stock markets go on Monday. But I had rather take a stance ( and I may be damned if I am taking a pre-mature position , but one had rather stick one’s neck out) and state unequivocally that if what is being hinted at is true----Chappell should be sacked, and NOW!
I think his sending this mail on the sly, smacks of a man who is embittered and revengeful, and clearly smarting under the humiliation that Dada heaped on him by checkmating him in front of the media. But honestly, he asked for it. To ask Sourav to drop himself in an inconsequential series when the man is looking at resurrecting an otherwise glorious career , both as a captain and batsman , smacked of both immaturity and tactlessness. As I have said repeatedly right since the media went ga- ga over the Aussie, Greg does not understand either the country, it’s sentiments or it’s sensitivities. Today, he is clearly out of depth and clueless because he did not take the trouble to understand it.
Chappell’s supposed language, seems both vicious in it’s tenor and motivated in it’s intent. Sourav Ganguly, despite his faults ( and he has many ) does not deserve to be so maligned and targeted . Mr Chappell, Sourav has done India proud, and whatever his faults, for you to complain in writing against the man after pretending to the world that now it was as business as usual , and reading out a statement praising Ganguly , this is nothing but a desperate and disturbed act of pure act of back-stabbing.
BCCI, sack this man! And do it now!
SANJAY JHA
Managing Editor
By
Amit, at 14:02
nothing at all gk. I dont know if he is the answer or not. But in my personal preference I would have wanted coach to work a bit more in the background...not necessarily as much as Wright....but not as openly as GC is doing..I would have wanted a coach giving more space to his players...and captain (I just have hints....here and there...that he doesnt give it as much as I would have liked)...
..but still....I am not promoting his removal.....I just need the ones who are going to face him to decide whether, and how long, can they continue with him
By
worma, at 14:02
hmmm ... sack the right guy and "phase out" the bad boy haa?
By
Amit, at 14:08
worma:
Do you think Player's feedback will be good enough to judge GC? I mean, look at it this way. When we were in school/college, we never got to choose our teacher. When we joined a job, we never got to choose our manager. Hell, we vote but some bugger becomes PM because of a coalition. Then, why do players get to choose the coach??? Do AUS, ENG, SA players get to choose their coach?
Pathan said GC helped him. HS said GC helped him (after he got 4 wkts in Test 1 inning 2). No one said GC was bad in behaviour or otherwise.
But inspite of this, why are players views so important? In no other game or organization do "team members" get to deceide on their coach/manager then why indian cricket?? I will agree to this point that players stay with the coach and know him better. But if allowed, players will always choose someone who is most relaxed, rather than someone who will be on their tail until they shape up.
To me, a Coach comes above the players. It is his responsibility to see that players are in top shape, physically and mentally, and they are performing at their top level. A player's view of a coach will always be biased, either good or bad, depending on how comfortable he is with the coach. A coach can be reviewed best by the results he get.
A coach does not have to be overly friendly with the players. He is not hired for that purpose. He is hired to be completly impartial to all and make everyone perform at their peak. He should have the freedom of choosing his methods of training. If players fell uncomfortable then it is not coach's fault (unless he uses illegal or damaging methods). If a coach says that a player is unfit then he should be listened to with serousness.
I don't understand what kind of review Gavaskar and Shastri will do? What will be their agenda during the review? What are they looking for? And why are "they" required to be present in the review? The review will be about team's performance and coach's report on players. By involving "outsiders" like Gavaskar and Shastri, isn't the board telling GC that they suspect his report?? Is this how you treat a coach? By suspecting him?
By
Unknown, at 14:09
@mit
cricketnext.com and its people are not worth listening to.
@worma
lets face it ... i do not know if he is the answer either. the commitee did not know when they appointed him. becoz his task is to win the WC. once the WC 2007 is over, we will know for sure. until then we have gone with him hoping that he is the answer based on heuristics, intuition whatever ... and we shud support him to the hilt in that spirit.
see, what he told gangs at bulawayo it was in the dressing room - hence it was essentially in the "background" it was SG who brought it up front. and what he did today was again via the correct channels - sent confidentially to the board. again someone leaked it. i dont hold him responsible in either case for being out of line anywhere.
as far as captaincy goes, i think the captain should be the person in charge "on the field" - off it, the coach has to give his opinions - and in the glorious tradition of the board SG was appointed captain only for the zim series. so technically rite now he is not a captain at all. right now it is not only the coach's right but his sacred duty to give his frank feedback to the board.
By
Gaurav, at 14:10
Let the team watch the movie "Remember the Titans" again ... i believe they watched it sometime before WC...
Ganguly and VS should watch the "Drum Line" about how an individual performer can be and should be a team player also
By
Amit, at 14:12
@vick
All you say are excuses to avoid an extra effort to perfection, to avoid hard work that the players are likely to use
@ruchir
exactly the point i was trying to make. if it doesnt work that way in corporate life why shud it in cricket ? in fact the BCCI not being a professional body is the single largest bane of indian cricket. its lack of professionalism is transferred down to the team.
By
Gaurav, at 14:15
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
By
Amit, at 14:18
ruchir you say " Then, why do players get to choose the coach??? "...then who will? I am anyay not saying they 'choose him...I am sayin they sit together and find out their problems...adn the consensus agreement...with help from observers like sunny, shashtri....and then give their reccomendations to sunny etc who are in review committee (and noone is bound to follow those reccomendations anyway).
Otherwise....if in the worst case...lets say there *is* a serious problem with GC as of today......who judges him? Who knows about it? Not board, not BCCI....then who?....sure everyone has an agenda....so what should be done in this case?...let GC continue? till when?....a year?...what if the damages done are more serious in this time??...as vick was suggesting above...if his methods are wrong, and heaven forbid, messes up on bigger issues...then what?.....or do you think no matter what, we should give him one season...one year...whatever...to wait and watch? (and even then how do you appraise him...if by not taking views from players(senior maybe) and observers like sunny etc?)
By
worma, at 14:19
@vick
u are missing the point. using the jagmohan dalmiya strategy to divert attention huh ? ;-)
By
Gaurav, at 14:19
Guys read this consipray theory --- boy does it get better ...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/4275152.stm
In the article you will find this:
"Ganguly's stature in part explains his indignation with Chappell, but why does the coach, just four months into the job, want to change his captain?
It could be Ganguly's deteriorating batting record - but it could also be the result of antipathy towards Ganguly that exists in Australian cricket.
It has its origins in a 2001 series when Ganguly accused Australia of "schoolboy" behaviour after a tetchy Test series which India came from behind to win.
Opposite number Steve Waugh accused him of disrespectfully turning up late for the toss "seven times", and Ganguly countered by saying he had been "put off" by his "complaining" opponents.
There are a number of possible outcomes to the current situation, but it is almost impossible to see how Chappell and Ganguly can co-exist harmoniously. "
Also read Srinath's views --- worth a read
By
Amit, at 14:20
@vick
i dont think GC has created any problems nor do i see him creating any. he has begun coming up with solutions in his brief stint.
SGs time is up not because of his batting but because he is a disruptive influence on the team
Sure there are several guys whose fitness and attitude is not up to the mark - and they are made to work on it now - some of them have improved and are better for it - some are trying but are not yet there - GC is being patient with them - and those who choose not to try are gonna be kicked out - and i hope GC is the first of the last lot.
IF SRT fails to disclose his injury (and why wud u assume that in the first place) and GC fires him the *whole* of india wont go crazy. specifically *i* won't and i am an indian.
even with VS if there are a few issues that need to be sorted out they will be
By
Gaurav, at 14:28
@vick
for the sake of indian cricket and that of justice and fairness, i hope you are wrong.
By
Gaurav, at 14:30
vick...agreed...this is what I commented this morning
But, yes the issue of the times, as you mentioned is Chappel. So...going by the hints we have been gathering (for no-one knows if and when, and in what form the full truth will come out) do you think we are, at this point, only facing a Greg vs Ganguly issue???
Sure, GC has said all that in his interview, and there is hardly any doubts about his intentions. But, if you are in corporate environment you would know this, have you never seen people with good intentions failing? Planning, or putting the right intentions in place, is a small aspect in cricket/team management (for in cricket the planning part is limited to getting the basics right, atleast in the inital phase...and even that is good enough to cross many hurdles)..the bigger aspect is the execution. So GC has the right intentions, maybe the right plans....but lets see if he has the right execution strategy?? Ofcourse, even this is very widely open....no way we can draw conclusions yet.
......and also...agreed that I dont see many players not standing behind SG....if it really comes to a point of backing either SG or GC in a black and white manner. Heck...I dont know whether even RD would be able to make that open choice of backing GC over SG if it comes to that!
By
worma, at 14:31
@worma
this is just sad. i can't take this any more. im going to sleep. let us see what drama unfolds
By
Gaurav, at 14:32
gk..ok boss...see you tomorrow...and I dont think you would have missed much by then :-)....unless someone leaks something new ;-)
By
worma, at 14:35
@kban1
sure ... GC shud be held accountable for his actions - and Im sure he will be when the meeting takes place on 27th
what i feel is so far he has not done anything wrong. he has supported and helped out pathan zaheer harbhajan kaif yuvraj treating each of them separately and altho at times they were not at their best.
the only person he has really gone after is SG and he deserved it. he has been misbehaving for a year now ... im sure when John Wright's autobiography comes out we will come to know all of SGs misdemeanours in detail
By
Gaurav, at 14:38
kban1..totally agree with you...probably because we had this discussion in the morning ;-)....and I actually commented on this in that post, with link to Rohit Brijnath's article.
By
worma, at 14:39
worma:
Like any other organization, the board will review and decide in GC!! Board selected him and board will drop him. Where do players come in? In your work place, have ever had a say in the review of your boss? It is the management who does that.
Board may take help from Shastri and Gavaskar as advisors, but that is just about it. They, as outsiders, can not decide the fate of GC.
.lets say there *is* a serious problem with GC as of today..... This is speculation. GC has done 2 things till now, given frank advice to SG and written his review to board. He did both things in private and "someone" brought both out.
Why are you saying that GC will make drastic mistakes, before he makes them? When he asks SRT to open, it will be dealt with accordingly(that is if GC does this blunder). But saying that GC "may" do something in future and who will reivew him then, is not a realistic thing to do.
I never said BCCI should not review him. BCCI is the only body to review him, there is no one else to do this job!!! But you can not hold unknown future mistakes against GC. No person can give a guarantee that he will never make mistakes in future. But if and when mistakes are made, they should be reviewed and dealt with by the appropriate body. And it is my opinion that with respect to a coach, players are not the correct people to review him.
By
Unknown, at 14:46
@vick
u must have missed the discussion on this very blog abt what happened at nagpur in 2004. everyone *knows* - ppl simply refuse to speak out
btw if u r a die-hard fan of someone it can be tuf to accept that he has done something wrong. i think that is what is happening with u and several other die-hard SG fans. i faced the same situation 5 years ago - when I found myself unable to believe that Azhar cud be involved in match-fixing - then 1 tries to hang on to straws .. like this is not true ... where is the evidence ... etc
By
Gaurav, at 14:46
so ruchir you are saying that you are ready to accept BCCI's appraisal of GC rather than hear from people on the ground? (btw in my company there is a process in place for giving review to our line managers...sometimes that may not be acted upon, but still...). I think you are going to be one happy person at the end of all this, because yor wish will come true. BCCI will do the appraisal.
But they shouldnt. not atleast before hearing all angles of the story. And thats all I am saying. if you read my comments about it, I have said that players should discuss(moderated by sunny etc), form their opnions...and give their recco to sunny, shastri etc. These would then take it to the review committee, and table it as their understanding of the issue as seen from close to action point.
As someone said, in my company my manager does not keep firing emails to his manager at every damn point of time.
And another thing....GC is not the 'line manager' of the players....do you know that? He does not have a power in their selection...he is not their employer....he is just like their project manager...in conjunciton with the captain!....and he has even less control over captain. you know, there are even some areas where captain has higher authority over coach....like in-action decisions(which chappell openly says he would like to have a say in, and I think if SG or any captain puts his foot down, GC may not like it)...or even selecting playing 11...or batting order....etc....these are issues in which captain has the final word...over-riding coach.
By
worma, at 14:54
kban1:
My friend, I never said that GC should not be held accountable. I am merely saying that BCCI is the only authority to "hold him accountable", players don't have any say in it.
I don't think GC overrode any authority of SG. Had he done so, Kaif would have played instead of Yuvraj in 2nd Test. Proof enough??
India lost in SL. What do you think GC should have done? Sund praises of the team in front of BCCI just to be in their good books? Of course he will critisize players. After ZIM ODI series he saw that SG was showing no improvement at all!!! In fact SG has shown no improvement at all in last 1 year in ODIs. So how much more time should he get? Another one year?? Isn't one year enough to come back in form?? GC kept that in his mind while advicing SG to step down.
For how long have we seen Zaheer being horrible in fielding? If GC complains about that, is there anything wrong in it? Are you saying that time clock should be reset to 0.00 when GC got the job and he should now give more and more and more time to proven failures from now on??
Being completly truthfull is the best way to help any person in any situation. GC was completly truthfull to SG and SG did not take it well. You can't find anything wrong in this as far as man management is considered. What else should GC have done? Told SG that he is in peak form?? If being truthfull is wrong, I don't wanna be right..... There is no better man management then being completely truthfull....
Yes, we should have corporate management style everywhere. Even in firing. If that was introduced today, then SG would be fired tomorrow because no corporate team will keep a person in team who has failed repeatedly for past one year. Agree????
By
Unknown, at 14:57
Actually, this is the right time to sort out this mess and start preparing the new team with the objective of winning the 2007 WC. Make the changes as required, drop players who do not meet the criteria for modern one day cricket, we cannot have lazy fielders in one day games (who do not contribute while batting or bowling either).
Just stop this bickering and concentrate on why the hell, the runner-up team in WC'03 is down at 7. We Indians have this habit of holding on to past glories..Remember we used to bring up the WC'83 victory all the time.
My last word - Fire SG and anyone who is lazy.. the selectors will choose the team, and the coach will coach them.. laziness, complacency should be nipped in the bud.
By
Pings, at 15:02
worma:
GC is not the 'line manager' of the players....do you know that? He does not have a power in their selection... Agree, but this is so because he came late, when the team was already finalised. From now on, I am damn sure, he will be a part of all selection meetings and his opinion will be taken into account. He is surely not their employer, he does not pay them. But so doesn't my and your boss, right? But still our job depends on our bosses review, right?
My other point is why involce Gavaskar and Shastri? give their recco to sunny, shastri etc. These would then take it to the review committee, and table it as their understanding of the issue as seen from close to action point. Gavaskar and Shastri are part of the committee. So why should they talk to players?? Why can't the board talk to players themselves?? Why do they need Gavaskar and Shastri to do that?? At this point in time, review is not about cricket acumen or talent. The review is about politics being played between GC and SG. I am sure BCCI does not need Gavaskar and Shastri to understand that, they know it better than anyone else... ;-)
By
Unknown, at 15:09
ruchir, GC or any coach has only a suggestive stake in selection committee (and Waugh proposed for Buchanan to not even have that!). He still would not be deciding their fate. But anyway, aren't we digressing, since this was the less important part of my reply :-)...and even there I had made the analogy of line manager and project manager....and that chappell is like project manager (so the members dont report to him, but still his review is taken in at the time of appraisal).
..so the board should hear the players...you agree? Ok not sunny or shastri...i dont care....but all i want is that before this whole issue is decided upon...all angles of the story are heard. Lets the players views be known, let the observers views be known (since they are part of that review committee which was set up to help chappell, and also they were part of his selectin committee)
And in case of SG vs GC....let all angles of *that* story also be heard by all in the decision making process. And let us also hear both angles of the story on this one. What GC has reported (and has been leaked) are some points on which he thinks SG doesnt stand out. I would like to hear more details on some of those, as some seem to be abstract issues(e.g "If 2007 WC is the goal, then SG’s outlook and attitude is far from ideal")...and then I also want SG's side of the story on all these issues.
That does happen before even a criminal is punished, forget the corporate employee.
By
worma, at 15:20
kban1:
Point about progressive HR practice duly noted. :-) BTW, I think WI and SL teams had issues with mgmt because of match fee etc. , not because they didn't like the coach. And ofr our team, with introduction of Contract System that problem has been taken care of.
I respect your opinion of giving SG longer leash, but still, will keep mine intact.
You say GC rushed, that's fine. But I think he kept SG's past one year's record in mind and saw that there was no improvement and hence made the "advice" he made. Although, I still feel that SG can be in Test team as a player, he has to go from the ODI team.
But then, these are just opinions from me.... :-)
By
Unknown, at 15:23
ruchir...and btw....in his supposed email..GC has made two very strong allegations (probably the strongest points in that mail) about 'team' and 'players'....and tried to use that to build his case against SG being continued as captain. This, I feel, is all the more reason for involving the players, isn't that so?
Hey, btw, what if majority of the players say that they still have trust and confidence in SG??????....
By
worma, at 15:32
If SRT's form is scratchy and his fitness is an issue it will be BLUNDER to keep him in the team and I think we do require a person like GC who will say that .... Let us stop worshipping players and just look for the best team
By
Amit, at 15:33
worma:
Your point noted, buddy. I guess we will continue to disagree, respectfully.
This is not an anuual performance review that is taking place. This is a review that is taking place because GC wrote something extreemly surprising. So, why GC himself should be reviewed only after 2 months on the job? I don't understand... and that's why I say how come players can get involved here??
Of course, we should hear from SG and GC, both. Not giving either a chance would be a travesty.
By
Unknown, at 15:33
If the outcome of this issue is that GC leaves and SG stays ... then good bye to team work ... SG like a true Bengali will have instilled the "union" culture in the team and no coach will be able to do his job
By
Amit, at 15:34
sorry - I think the Bengali analogy was misplaced ....
By
Amit, at 15:36
suraj, about coach deciding on playing XI...its a collaboration between captain and coach..with captain having the final authority (rem its also his job, his reputation etc at stake...more so than the coach, atleast in the immediate term)...and it is imp for only one to have the final authority...obviously two cannot have it.
And coach also has suggestive stake in selection committee meetings....because anyway thats not his job...his job is to train the team....get the long term goals and results in place...captains job is to get the short term goals and results in place (so for eg. do the best in each game.....while coach has a job of...get the team to level x in these many months...etc)
By
worma, at 15:36
worma:
Don't want to beat the point but we will not know exactly what did GC say in his mail until the test in published. Till then it is speculation, something both you and me will refrain from doing.
If majority players say they want SG? Well, in my opinion, SG stays and GC goes!!! But, I don't think most players will take such a stand. GC would not have taken this big step if he felt players were siding SG.
But yes, if players want SG then GC will either have to compromise or go. More chances are that he would go.
By
Unknown, at 15:40
ruchir...point taken about disagreement :-)...one last bit "So, why GC himself should be reviewed only after 2 months on the job?".....if you would have noticed....right from SL tour...when people were criticising his style...over-experimentation etc I was always maitaining that he should have his freedom...and be judged only in a long term (end of the season, is that I said)....but now, as you said, these are not normal times...something extraordinary has happened....something on which we need to come out of that 'wait and watch over the whole season' mode, and take notice. Thats why this sudden 'review' of sorts.
btw, do you think if SG had been appointed the captain for a longer term before going to Zim, wouldn't GC still have fired that email? So...that is also suddent unscheduled review isn't it?
On same note, I don't think Ponting had been appointed captain till the end of Ashes only. Still...people are calling for his head....extraordinary times...demanding special measures... (btw I dont think he should go :-)...no better alternatives)
By
worma, at 15:41
ruchir...yes all this is based on the 'supposed email' (note I used this word before)...so sure lets wait for facts to come out(if they ever do directly come out, although if later there are open statements from SG, GC on this issue, we would know that it was true)
By
worma, at 15:44
criclogic:
I said SG can be in the Test team because his Test he is better in Tests than in ODIs. He has more space to build whatever innings he can build in Tests.
Plus, I respect the position on Captain (whoever may be occupying it). So as a captain SG should go out gracefully and gradually. Best way would be to remove him from ODI team, and give him a choice of Test series that he wants to go out in.
That is, if he is going out... :-)
By
Unknown, at 15:45
worma:
Point taken about the "unscheduled" review... :-) People may be calling for Ponting's head but his coach isn't.... right? Probably because both are in the same boat ???
By
Unknown, at 15:50
flute:
When I say gracefull exit, I mean going with a planned celebration, like Steve Waugh had. If SG chooses his time to go, he won't face the ignonimity of being dropped from the team. That's all....
By
Unknown, at 15:56
ruchir...yes ofcourse how can Buchanan call for RP's head...he's in fact in a more shaky boat...his official contract renewal discussions are scheduled now :-))....and anyways....Aus problems were equally, if not more, to do with off field tactics as on it.
And Ponting, as I said, wont go because there's hardly any alternative. Gilchrist, even if he wasn't suffering from bad form, hasn't really shown tactical genius with his in-game behaviour or with his public statements etc. And being older(?) than RP, his chances of leaving this team before RP look much higher. So whats left? Clarke is too young (probably sometime soon CA would decide on appointing him VC...I expect that to happen soon). And most importantly, I think CA seem to have an un-official policy of not playing ex-captains in the team. (no comments on our following that principle ;-)
By
worma, at 15:58
wonderloud has got it right. SG will not be able to hold onto a place in the team once he loses captaincy. It makes sense to hold on to captaincy then, right? I still cant believe that people give analogies using words like sacrifice and gratefulness to fight a case for SG. Yeah, we are all grateful to SG for delivering INdian cricket from match fixing and the dirty world of the dons. That doesnt mean that SG has a permanent position in the Indian team. Cant fathom why this guy just doesnt get it.
By
Toney, at 16:03
Gangu Supporters,
here is the strategy:
1. "Arrange" for a reconciliation with GC "mediated" by BCCI.
2. Get a Dr Certificate saying that he has a serious injury (out for 6 months).
3. Get board to select substandard team captained by Rahul Dravid.
4. Let them get bashed for 6-8 months.
5. Cite the SG precedent and get rid of RD (he is too weak a leader)
6. Make yuvi or Shewag the Capt.
7. Repeat Steps 3-6 , get rid of GC and Capt.
8. Appoint Madan Lal Coach.
9. Reinstate Ganguly.
10. Schedule 4 Series (2 Zim, 2 Bangladesh) and claim resurgence.
11. Back to Square 0.
cheers!
By
Socrates, at 16:04
criclogic, you forget abt the sacrifices that SG made all these years for Team India. ROFL
By
Toney, at 16:08
suraj : If the captain is the fial authority for players selection, who is monitoring the capatin. the coach is monitoring the captain as a player, and would give his suggestions to the selectors just as he does for all players. And the 'captaincy' part of the captain, as I said, is being monitored by the performance indicators for him....that is immediate-term performance of the team...in matches...in a series etc. Other than that, no-one else has an authority or control over the captains decision that he takes in the process of achieving those results (decisions like playing XI...final authority is captain!..not even selectors)
Again you can chosse the selectors to do it but isn't the coach really there to watch the dynamics, leadersip, discipline evrything. And if the coach is working on the long term plans shouldn't he be choosing this essential tool. yes the coach should monitor these issues also, with respect to this long-term performance criteria. And give his input to board selectors etc...if he finds the decision/actions of captain (in the course of performing his captaincy role) are in conflict with his own long term plans for the team. He gives suggestions on these to the selectors, and they have the final choice. So, ofcourse what GC has done is legally correct...no-one is saying that he is out of his authority in sending that email to the board.
By
worma, at 16:08
kban1:
Point noted about attitude. However 7 ODIs and 2 Tests would mean nearly staying a month together (if you count rest days) and interacting with each other. It is my hunch that GC got this impression of SG that it will be very difficult to change his attitude (I may be wrong).
I watched first 2 hours of all days of both tests live and SG was very lazy in the field (running behind the ball without picking it up, for example). It is my belief that GC must have told the importance of fielding to SG (as if he needs to be told). But after watching him remain the same over a month, maybe GC reached a conclusion that this is it, I tell SG to improve on one thing and he is incapable of improvement in one month, does not show any efforts towards improvement!! What is the guarantee he will improve in next one year? So, it is time to decide. Again, this is my hunch, this is what I think happened and can not substantiate it with hard proof.
But most of all, it think GC was mighty pissed off with SG for the reason that SG confirmed their conversation with media. GC never expected that to happen and when it did happen, GC realised that he could not trust SG anymore. If SG broke his trust on the first instance, how can they work together? That is when GC decided that his side needs to be told to the board and hence the email.... (again, my opinion)
By
Unknown, at 16:12
flute,
The other thing to note there is that GC has not revealed the contents of the email. How does SG assume that the mail is about him and not a more generapbservation of all the players? Ever heard the story of the robber and the straw on the head??
By
Toney, at 16:12
mayur...stats don't reveal everything...so I dont want to get into this discussion....but still...if you can...try to check out the same stats before the start of this season!
By
worma, at 16:14
Several guys here have remarked how GC might treat SRT also the same way and how we would all demand that SRT be dumped.
First of all, nice try at diverting attention. But dont think anyone took the bait.
Secondly, while SRT himself himself concedes that he is not the same player that he was before (for better or worse), he doesnt have Ganguly-eqsque ego problems. I am sure everyone knows the story abt how SRT conveyed to Wright abt his inability to attend a training (asked for a day) and Wright did not relent. Did we see SRT immediately weeping and sobbing to Bhogle or Gavaskar abt this? Rather, SRT oobeyed the coach and did what was in the best interests of the team.
So, how can anybody assume that SRT will have problems with GC? Of course, GC might suggest a few things to SRT in terms of his batting. But I dont think SRT will have a problem with GC in terms of attitude, ego or compatibility.
By
Toney, at 16:17
Guys, Guys, Guys....
Anyone saw Mallika Sherawat's interview on CNN (as reported in Rediff)??
Was she actually wearing anything? Was she hot? Did she undo her legs la Sharone Stone? Did her answers make any sense?
Actually, my big question is, did she make a bigger impression than Ash??
By
Unknown, at 16:22
mayur...not last season...they were baying for his blood as recently as the SL series :-)...btw last season in ODIs RD, SRT, SG and the VS, MK, YS were the order of averages (with last 3 being in 20s)
By
worma, at 16:27
Shoot... I think the interview will be aired on 9/25...
By
Unknown, at 16:31
dadagiri,
What exactly was wrong with GC's statement abt SRT?
"I don't think he's ever going to be the player he was. You change. You're a different person in your 30s compared to when you're an 18-year-old. You just have to learn to play accordingly.
Everyone goes through different phases in their career. He's been around for about 15 years and most of those 15 years have been extraordinar, He's had some down periods recently. He's had some injuries. He's perhaps had a bit of a crisis about what his role is in the team
I just need to sit down with him and work out where he's at and where he wants to go and what expectations and goals he
has. Hopefully I can motivate him and present him with some new challenges
There are other things going on in his life that he didn't have as a young player. All he needs is to feel welcome, wanted and to have a meaningful role in the team. I'm sure he can bounce back, maybe not to the great heights he reached before, but bounce back and play an important role. To work with a player of that quality will be a privilege and an honour
Now, which line in this is wrong? Or am I missing something here?
By
Toney, at 16:32
Damn.... Tombaan, you got to see everything and I missed... :-{
Can you tell me more about it??
By
Unknown, at 16:36
tombaan, Mallika did that? Did you watch the regular CNN or its sister pornCNN?
Suraj and jd, very true. As is often the case, be it coach, player, or fan, whoever criticizes SG has no morals or ethics... And yeah, does anyone have an answer to Surja's q? What should GC have done in the interests of the team?
I think he did exactly what he should have. When the confidential dialog b/w 2 people was leaked out, he, for PR reasons maintained that there was no issue b/w he and SG. Again, after the tour, rather than go and weep to a journo, he sent another confidential email about the TEAM's performance to those concerned (or those who should have been concerned).
Of course, one among the addressees, Jaggu and Nair leaked this email also to a Bengali paper. Where has GC gone wrong?
By
Toney, at 16:41
tombaan:
*LOL*
By
Unknown, at 16:44
Why not compare Martyn with SG?
SGanguly,
If we see a new RD in ODIs, thats because he was dropped and was forced to have a rethink abt the game. Whether SG has the time to do that at this stage is doubtful. But people have beaten the odds and done great things, why not SG?
By
Toney, at 16:45
sunil nain,
further down, you'll find GC's comments on SRT the batsman. Cant understand dadagiri saying that this was unfair. Which part was unfair in there?
By
Toney, at 16:50
sunil:
So dont confuse SRT with Ganguly.. SRT is a legend.. SG is a turning into a disgrace..very fast.
Man, that line made my day... *LOL*... Good one...
By
Unknown, at 16:51
criclogic,
All that is made under the assumption that GC wrote the last email purely because he was riled by SG But the review was setup much earlier. And in any case, how do we know that this email was aimed at maligning SG? It could have been GC's observations of the entire team and the progress made
By
Toney, at 16:55
tombaan, dont worry about defending SRT's Ferrari issue. The simple thing there was, he requested tax evasion. I know lots of people (middle class or otherwise:) ) who would rather choose criminal methods to evade these taxes. Once again, see how we move off from the topic? If you cannot defend SG, accuse others. All is well with SG then...
By
Toney, at 16:58
suraj,
SG's batting skills have deteriorated to such a low level because he was concentrating on his bowling and fielding. See how many 5 wkt hauls he has. Plus the number of brilliant run outs, catches and saves he consistently delivers...
By
Toney, at 17:02
sganguly, I know you didnt start it :) No problems on my side, mate
By
Toney, at 17:02
kban1:
Buddy, I was already on to Mallika when you brought me back to SG/GC... :-)
Anyway, sometimes a month is enough for the teacher to see if the monitor of the class is "willing" to improve his sliding abilities or not. When the teacher sees that the monitor is not making any effort what does he do? He first tells the monitor to wisen up (which GC must have done in SL). When monitor does not, sitll, show signs of making efforts, the teacher then sends a report to whoever appointed that person as monitor that this guy is not good enough (the email that GC sent).
Now, how could have GC handeled it better? GC did not go to the media telling that he "suggested" SG to step down!! GC did not "leak" his email to media!! GC maintained that dressing-room talks should remain there!!!
My friend, I fail to understand what did GC do that shows him as a bad manager??
By
Unknown, at 17:03
sganguly, again why the ref to SRT's 248 when we are talking abt SG's 0s? And if you wish, we could get a comparison of SRT Vs SG, with all the minnow matches taken out (odis and tests). Dont think there's a doubt to the conclusion there, right ?
By
Toney, at 17:04
yes, ddgiri, remember that. And I was amused by the media's reaction too. It did look like no one was even supposed to say that SRT had grown old. All I was trying to say was that GC's comments on SRT were not wrong IMHO and I am a huge huge SRT fan.
By
Toney, at 17:05
SGanguly,
Actually, I hate writing the above name each time when I have to write a direct post to you :) just kidding of course...
By
Toney, at 17:06
Actually jd, not much to think there. He didnt get a good run of matches in a row ever since the first occurence of the tennis elbow. So, its difficult to make a clear conclusion for me (apart from being blinded by the fact that I'll look for excuses)
But he average 37+ for the past 20 matches in ODIs, in spite of having an on and off season, an injury which seriously affected his strokeplay and provided 2 gorgeous centuries (noth against Pak), both of which ended up being in a lost cause.
As for tests, he averaged a healthy 65+ in the last 15 tests with 3 centuries (one against Bangladesh). Once again, in terms of runs, very very good.
By
Toney, at 17:13
ddgiri, be assured that plenty will happen before 27th. :)
By
Toney, at 17:14
GC did everything right. GC did n't go to media and cryied like a baby.
Saurav, Grow up and Time to leave .
By
Shyam Prasad, at 17:17
SG,
Where did you read abt RD's blind support for AK? Or are you just drawing conclusions from their belonging to the state team? Do we want to start the DDGupta selection to the Indian team then?
By
Toney, at 17:22
jd, agreed that from a viewer's point of view, an attacking SRT is the best sight. I am not so sure about it from the opposition point of view all the time.
Look at it this way, he scored 141 off 135 deliveries and 123 off 130 balls in the last year and a half. Even though he didnt start attacking from the word go, the sum effect of it all ended up being a very good contribution, right? So opposition still has to worry abt him. Moreoverm unlike the previous SRT who gave a chance to the bowler with his attacking game, the new SRT usually goes on to a big score when he gets a start.
This is not to say that I miss the injury free guy, of course
By
Toney, at 17:26
SG,
jd raised a v good q. Any answer to that? Also, may I assume that your initial comment abt RD-AK nexus was based on hot air more than anything else? I didnt want to raise the DDGupta issue here, but your comment just got me thinking similarily wrt other captains too
By
Toney, at 17:28
:) Thanks SG. I am big enough to retract my DDGupta comments too
By
Toney, at 17:33
sg,
SRT batted slow against Aus, in Aus, right? ANd what was his strike rate, in spite of that? Compare that to the opposition and scoring patterns
Also, SRT did not make an exact 100 and then decide that his job was done. Plus, how many times has SG batted himself/tried to bat himself to form?
SRT's recent innings have not been detrimental to the team (not that SG's 100 against Zim was) but look at SG's 50/90 and especially his short stints during the Pak series where he did severe damage in terms of the team losing momentum??
By
Toney, at 17:40
jd,
agree abt the GC comments part. SRT played only two test matches, failed in his comeback test and got a very good 50 which, along with VVS's 69 won INdia the match. That 50 was very reminiscent of SRT's pre-injury days, lots of cuts and pulls, a poor shot in the end though
By
Toney, at 17:42
jd, one more thig. Dont think we will ever see the SRT of 98-00. Every batsman has a period where he's in his prime, thats past him. But in tests, he wasnt very attacking except during that 98 Aus series, right? Look at the 179 that was his highest score for a long long time. Dont think that was a blitzkreig of sorts. None of his double 100s were either.
By
Toney, at 17:47
:) sg, see you someother time. Dont change the handle though *L*
I am off too
By
Toney, at 17:51
SG's time is up. He has been a tremendous leader for Indian cricket during the past few years but now we need somebody else to take it to the next level. His batting performance has been miserable to say the least. One simply cannot justify his selection in the team as a batsman. In addition, of late, it is evident from watching the boys on TV, that there are rifts in the team. These rifts may not be regional but are definitely centered around SG and non-SG. In SG's camp, YS,HS,ZK and SG himself are all bollywood bimbo chasers. The rest of the team RD,MK,AK etc. at least out their heads down and work hard for they are paid to do. It is time Indian cricketers realized that the game and India's performance is of utmost importance, not cuddling with some bimbo or opening a hair salon or 5 restaurants !!! As fans, we want our team to win, I do not care about how many restaurants SG or SRT own, I want us to win the WC 2007 and be #1 in Test rankings. Lets do what we need to do to get there. The first step is kick out SG and give GC some support to crack the whip harder.
By
RandomThoughts, at 19:14
clearly our team spirit is the pits - it does not take much to see that. Of course no player is going to come out and say that. SG is like a wounded tiger in a corner. He has not been able to come out of that corner using his batting skills so he is pulling together people like YS,HS,ZK, Nehra etc. to protect him and show that he is still their leader while there is an intense battle in the battlefield. All these guys have been found wanting recently (yes Nehra did bowl well but his fielding and batting are not upto par and he does not bowl like McGrath !). I also thonk that ex-players like Kapil Dev, Ashok Malhotra and otehrs who did not want a foreign coach are instigating this work against each other policy which is what they thrived on in their days. True SG does not create regional rifts like Kapil Dev did but he is creating rifts none the less. Winning teams have a winning mentality, they are open, honest and trust each other, they back each other and like being together. Look at the Aussie side of the past and the current English side. We need to move fast and create that synergy and team spirit soon. SG is a hinderance to this. I dread to wake up one day and read that our new coach is Kapil Dev or Ashok Malhotra or some such person whose motto will not team spirit, openness, mental toughness etc but instead slogans like India ka jawab nahin !
By
RandomThoughts, at 19:56
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