‘Players need to get fitter’

Indian cricket coach Greg Chappell, in the eye of a controversy over his remarks on captain Sourav Ganguly, today laid special emphasis on the team’s physical fitness, ahead of home series against Sri Lanka and England.

‘‘I think a few players still need to get themselves fitter and be better prepared for the role they have in the team and that includes some of the bowlers. We will keep putting the demands on them to get those levels (of fitness) up and if we can succeed I think we would be ok,’’ Chappell said on his return here from Zimbabwe this morning. “We have players who have a special set of skills and that includes Sachin. It’s all about blending these skills and using them in the best way possible. We haven’t got the mix right at the moment but we are getting there,” he said.

Chappell said he was hoping to squeeze in a short camp ahead of the one-day series at home against Sri Lanka next month. Chappell has already set his eyes on the packed international commitments for India, including the away Test series in Pakistan and the home engagements against England between January and April next year.