‘Challenge Sachin, make him Test opener’

Elaborating on his radical idea for the Indian team, Chappell said Sehwag and Tendulkar could go on to form one of the most devastating Test opening pair in history if they did eventually walk out to bat together in Tests.

He also added that keeping Yuvraj Singh out of Test cricket would be a huge mistake and he along with Tendulkar, Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid would form a spectacular batting line-up in Tests.

For the one-dayers Chappell believed India should continue much as they are, possibly excluding Mohammad Kaif if the team composition could accommodate only six batsmen. He did, however, warn against the overuse of Rahul Dravid as wicket-keeper with the risk of the vice-captain injuring himself while keeping wickets.

The team has taken heavy flak for its showing in recent weeks but Chappell said he didn’t quite agree. ‘‘The successful tours of Australia and Pakistan have taken a lot of emotional energy from them and they were mentally tired when they started the new season’’, he said. Fielding, Chappell pointed out, was still an area where the Indian team needed to spend more time. Chappell predicted that the ICC Champions Trophy games would be balanced instead of being a batting orgy and teams that pace their innings instead of looking to blast the bowling in the first 15 overs would be successful.

The former Aussie great also hinted at the need for a change of coach in the Indian team — it needed a ‘‘new voice’’ to take them to the next level. ‘‘Cricket is a very limited game. There is only so much you can do with it. One individual cannot keep coming up with new ideas all the time. A new idea can make a huge difference’’, he said.

The forthcoming India-Australia Test series, Chappell said, would be ‘‘absorbing, with neither sides going on to the field saying they would be the favourites.’’