One of the striking features of the Indian cricket teams of the last nearly a decade has been the camaraderie between the coach and players. From Rahul Shastri to Rahul Dravid and now Gautam Gambhir, the bond between the head coach and Indian cricketers has played a huge role in maintaining a positive environment in the dressing room. But the same was not always the case. And no, we are not just talking about the Greg Chappell era.
In one of the most dramatic off-field episodes in Indian cricket’s modern history, members of the team reportedly stopped speaking to then-head coach Madan Lal for several days during the 1997 tour of Sri Lanka, following an explosive newspaper interview in which he publicly criticised several of his own players.
The incident, which unfolded nearly a decade before the Greg Chappell era, is detailed in ‘On Board—My Years in BCCI’, the autobiography of former BCCI manager Ratnakar Shetty. The episode resurfaced recently after being narrated in an Instagram post by the channel RandomCricketPhotos.
According to Shetty’s account, the controversy erupted when The Hindu published an interview in which India's 1983 World Cup-winning hero Madan Lal, who was the coach of the team between 1996 and 1997, made unusually frank and stinging assessments of several Indian cricketers. Among those criticised were Ajay Jadeja, Robin Singh, Saba Karim, and Anil Kumble—all active members of the side on that Sri Lanka tour.
{{/usCountry}}According to Shetty’s account, the controversy erupted when The Hindu published an interview in which India's 1983 World Cup-winning hero Madan Lal, who was the coach of the team between 1996 and 1997, made unusually frank and stinging assessments of several Indian cricketers. Among those criticised were Ajay Jadeja, Robin Singh, Saba Karim, and Anil Kumble—all active members of the side on that Sri Lanka tour.
{{/usCountry}}Madan Lal had reportedly said that Ajay Jadeja “should make up his mind whether he’s playing as a batsman or bowler,” adding that “you cannot do well in one match and fail in the next five.” He described Robin Singh as “a cricketer who tries hard but can’t really be classified as an all-rounder of international level,” and dismissed Saba Karim as “an average wicketkeeper” who couldn’t “pull off a match with his batting.” Even India’s premier spinner at the time, Anil Kumble, was not spared—Madan Lal said he was “not happy” with Kumble’s bowling and advised him to focus on “line and length rather than turn.”
The interview ended with the coach lamenting, “I know we are not winning, but what can I do alone?”
The comments sent shockwaves through the Indian camp and the cricket board. Manager Ratnakar Shetty immediately contacted journalist Vijay Lokapally, who confirmed that Madan Lal had indeed approved the quotes before publication. What followed, according to Shetty’s account, was a virtual revolt inside the dressing room—players reportedly refused to talk to their coach for several days, creating an icy and uncomfortable atmosphere within the team.
Tensions reached a peak during one of the ODIs in the series when a player who had been criticised by Madan Lal went on to score a century. In what appeared to be an act of defiance, the batter pointed the handle of his bat towards the media enclosure while celebrating—an unmistakable gesture interpreted as a message directed at the coach.
Both Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja scored centuries in that match, though Shetty’s book does not specify which of them made the gesture.
Within months of the controversy, Madan Lal was removed from his position as India’s head coach. He was replaced by Anshuman Gaekwad, marking a swift end to a turbulent 10-month tenure that remains one of the most controversial coaching stints in Indian cricket history.