Press Trust of India Posted online: Tuesday, March 27, 2007 at 1942 hours IST Updated: Tuesday, March 27, 2007 at 1947 hours IST
Antigua, March 27: Beleaguered coach Greg Chappell was not happy with the composition of the Indian cricket team for the World Cup, it was revealed on Tuesday.
Before leaving for the West Indies, Chappell, in an SMS to an Indian journalist Rajan Bala, claimed that senior players in the side resisted the inclusion of younger players and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar sided with the seniors fearing a media backlash in case the young guns failed to fire.
"Even in the last selection meeting, I fought for youth. The senior players fought against it and the chairman went with them out of fear of media, if youth did not perform," Chappell wrote in his SMS to Bala.
This message was sent to the writer on the morning of the ODI against Sri Lanka at Visakhapatnam on February 17.
In the same SMS, the Australian observed young stumper-batsman Dinesh Kaarthick had leadership material.
"Kaarthick will be a very good batsman and by the way, he is a potential leader. You are also very right about Yuvi," Chappell said.
The coach was referring to the Bala's article in which he had not been very complimentary about Yuvraj Singh.
The writer had written ‘He might or might not develop to be the country's best future batsman, but let it be known that the possibility of his not being fully fit during the World Cup cannot be discounted. It is a risk that is being taken. The problem with Yuvraj is that he believes he is a star when he is only a rising one."
Chappell had also confided with the writer that ‘Suresh Raina is a must. But he was not wanted’.
Antigua, March 27: Beleaguered coach Greg Chappell was not happy with the composition of the Indian cricket team for the World Cup, it was revealed on Tuesday.
