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Azhar supports Chappell on Indian defeat
"The job of the coach is to guide the players, but ultimately it is players who have to perform." said Azhar.
Former captain Mohammad Azharuddin on Monday batted for India's under-fire coach Greg Chappell, saying it was not right to blame him for the ills plaguing the Indian cricket team.
"The job of the coach is to guide the players, but ultimately it is players who have to perform. A team has 11 players and everybody has his role," the former batsman told.
Azhar, however, refused to comment on whether it was right to appoint a foreigner as the national team's coach.
"The decision of appointing a foreign coach was taken by the Board and I cannot comment on it."
On the demand for appointing a bowling coach, he said, "if it happens then okay, but bowling is not a problem. Bowlers are doing well".
The Hyderabadi, who was here to attend a school function, was speaking in the wake of India's 4-0 whitewash in the one-day series in South Africa.
He also blamed India's "off-colour" openers for putting the rest of the batsmen under pressure through their lacklustre performance.
"The problem is in the opening. The openers are off-colour. They should play more aggressively. If they do so they will score runs as well," he said.
"The team should perform well in the immediate matches, specially the Test matches, to keep its morale high for the forthcoming World Cup and also for the series against West Indies and Sri Lanka," he said.
