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Support me or find another coach: Greg
The Indian coach does not mind stepping on a few toes in his quest to make a success of the "most challenging job in cricket."
Coach Greg Chappell does not mind stepping on a few toes in his quest to make a success of the "most challenging job in cricket."
The Australian would like to do things his own way to ensure that the Indian cricket team reaches its full potential under him.
"I could not afford to be diverted by outside comment and opinion. All I can do is focus on the things I feel very strongly in. I have taken the same approach I took when I played cricket," Chappell told an Australian newspaper.
"If they are the right things, then they will work and the majority of people will be supportive. If they don't, they need to find another coach."
"I have taken the view that I can do the job to the best of my ability and the rest will take care of itself," the former Australian skipper told Herald Sun.
Describing his assignment as the "most challenging job in cricket," Chappell said, "You can't help but be caught up in the excitement of what is going on."
"You have a billion and a bit rapid followers of cricket who get very, very involved and have high expectations and all of that."
"They have television programmes which go 24 hours a day and spend their time talking about the cricket," he said.
His most vivid memory is the reception the team received after it won a one-dayer in Rajkot against Sri Lanka in the recent home series.
"We finished in the afternoon and we went to the airport to fly to the next venue, and there would have been anywhere between 3,00,000 and 5,00,000 people lining the streets to cheer the team," Chappell said.
"When you realise how the game touches the lives of those people, and the joy it brings to their lives, you understand how demoralising it is for them when the side is not doing well," he said referring to the passion with which the game is followed in India.
"If I ever wanted to be a pop star, I can't imagine I could have got feted and treated with as much pomp and ceremony as the Indian cricket team does. It's difficult for the players. I admire the way they handle it."
"The demands and expectations on the players are huge. It can be very distracting," the 57-year-old coach said.
Chappell also expressed his great admiration for Sachin Tendulkar for the way he dealt with the adulation of Indian fans.
"He's a remarkable man. He is the one I admire most, coping 17 years with the pressure of being a superstar in this country, and remaining a sane, sensible human being is just remarkable."
"He is a wonderful person and he has a huge impact with this group. They hold him in high esteem. He is very sensible and has a great cricket mind."
The Australian put the India-Pakistan contests a notch higher than the Ashes rivalry in terms of the interest they generate.
"We have a tour of Pakistan coming up. In terms of the number of people following it, think of an Ashes series and multiply it by 100. It's huge," Chappell said.
