A refreshing change from those who are wanting either captain or coach sacked is the group of former players advocating a compromise. Their thinking is that a cooling-off period, a warning to the captain and an opportunity for the coach to understand Indian cricket culture could repair relations — at least to the extent that they can work together, if not be the best of friends.Taking action against either one party, they feel, would destabilise the entire system. Chetan Chauhan puts it pithily: ‘‘The captain and the coach are two pillars of a team. Remove one and the team will fall on itself. Anything other than a compromise will have a negative impact.’’ Former India coach Ajit Wadekar says he’s never come across such a situation in his career both as a captain or a coach. ‘‘But look at the two sides: a cricketer with almost 15,000 international runs to his credit and the most successful Test captaincy record, and a great individual who has a terrific past both as a cricketer and a coach. They should patch up,’’ he says.Chappell, he believes, is getting accustomed to Indian cricket culture where an e-mail cannot remain confidential nor a captain be asked to sit out. ‘‘Both Ganguly and Chappell are vital ingredients in Indian cricket’’, says Navjot Singh Sidhu, ‘‘it’s in the best interest of the game that they bury the hatchet.’’A compromise as the best solution for the moment if cricket has to become the top priority once again, he says. So the million-dollar question: Would Chappell, who seems to be on a firmer wicket, agree to a compromise? ‘‘It is possible and I hope Chappell will relent to a certain degree’’, says Abbas Ali Baig. ‘‘Calling a truce is the best option available and it will also provide Ganguly with some time to assess his immediate future.’’
