On the face of it, BCCI secretary S K Nair’s statement on Tuesday about team discipline was a token admonition of India’s top cricketers. But coming as it did on the eve of a tricky overseas tour, his comment on their ‘‘casual attitude’’ and the need to ‘‘set this right’’ shone the light on a problem that could reach dangerous proportions in the weeks ahead. The problem involves the trust levels between the new coach, his players — especially the seniors — and his employers. Those who attended Greg Chappell’s press conference at a city hotel on Monday night were struck by the tension and irritation writ large on the usually gregarious Australian. One reason for it was the typical tardiness of his captain — on whose account the press conference was deferred by three hours, and even then he contrived to turn up late — but there was more. The initial indifference of the Board, for one, which said Ganguly’s delay could have been due to the fact that he could not be contacted over the weekend! Scepticism and doubt are part of any transition and this is no exception. Yet the goings-on at the pre-season camp and on the recent tour of Sri Lanka showed that there is some discontent directed, for whatever reason, at Chappell. The sniggers were in evidence at the camp, where players were exposed to the lateral thinking of Edward de Bono and the attentions of half-a-dozen superspecialised physical fitness experts. But it was in Sri Lanka, where the team had a pretty miserable outing, that the whispers grew. And an over-attentive media, desperate for ‘‘exclusive’’ quotes, merely fanned the flames. Some senior players complained about Chappell’s long talk sessions and his over-analysis of minor things. ‘‘Talks a lot,’’ they would confide to reporters after team meetings. The youngsters were affected by Chappell’s experiment policy. They’d usually be in the dark about gameplans and complain about being told on the morning of a match that they were in the team. To his credit, Chappell sought to infuse discipline. He paid special attention to one senior batsman with a fondness for taking it easy, getting him on his feet whenever he was spotted sitting down. ‘‘Get up, do some catching with Greg (King) there.take some fielding sessions with Frazer.’’ But ultimately his penchant for punctuality was undermined by the demands of sponsors. So while the team bus was waiting, the captain would be speaking to a TV channel, his deputy would be signing autographs. It hasn’t helped that the selectors have been vacillating on the captaincy issue; the shift in power centres bred their own confusion. Indeed, the difference between Ganguly and Chappell was thrown into sharp relief at Monday’s press conferences. Chappell, speaking first and dressed impeccably in team blazer, maintained that he was still on the lookout for a bunch of players with the right attitude; Ganguly, in a rumpled T-shirt, said he believed that his boys had delivered in the past and could deliver against any team. Well, that time has come. India’s cricketers need to realise that Chappell is, at best, a facilitator of their talents. Their non-performance is less an indictment of his coaching abilities than of their own hunger to win. By pulling the rug from under his feet they are in as great danger of falling. And Chappell needs to come up with a Plan B to tackle the very Indian problem of swollen egos. His own commanding stature is not enough; he needs to get tough, with his players and with their common paymaster. Queering the pitch • The flip-flops over captaincy, with each captain being put ‘on trial’. Selectors divided over Ganguly’s appointment • Nehra goes to the press saying he hasn’t got his due. Some bowlers are overhyped, he says, and the team’s only real match-winner is Kumble • Coach wants camp before Zim tri-series. Non-availability of grounds means no camp possible • Pre-departure team meeting also falls through because players, captain included, arrive late • BCCI travel mix-up means the team will have no time for warm-up matches in southern Africa, as Chappell had wanted
