Bal Thackeray bats for Chappell

The Shiv Sena supremo says there is nothing the coach can do if the players are unpredictable and not at their best.

In times when the Indian team and coach Greg Chappell are at the receiving end of the fury of Indian fans and politicians, the coach has received unexpected support from a die-hard cricket fan: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.

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"What can Chappell do if the players are unpredictable and not performing to their best," Thackeray said in a statement in a front-page article of party mouthpiece Saamna.

"It is very difficult to predict who will perform and who will not and in such circumstances it is wrong to hold Chappell responsible for the failure of the players," Thackeray has remarked.

Coming down heavily on players for appearing in TV commercials, the Sena chief says: "Players have nothing to lose as they continue to earn irrespective of poor performance."