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[suraj]

India:
Still defending experimentation: Team will not be ready till World Cup

But Gaekwad does not agree with further experimentation

While GC chooses to be silent

And ICC resolves differences with Gujarat Cricket Association

Pak:

Inzy’s ban is for 4 matches but he is completely out of Champions trophy

A day in the life of Younis Khan: Captain, resignation, out of the team and reinstated again!!!

Aus:

Ricky Ponting is determined to reverse Aussie failure in Champions trophy

West Indies:

Lara’s psychological advantage: Part XI, XII…….??

And the unknown:

Who is Mukund Harishkumar Parmar??

[Jai]

GC is not really silent. Here are some quotes:

Experimentations will be on, say Chappell and Dravid
- Our best opportunity to do well before World Cup: Sachin 
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

 
Mohammed Kaif, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar in New Delhi on Sunday. (AFP) 


New Delhi: Team India captain Rahul Dravid and coach Greg Chappell on Sunday indicated that their experimentations with batting order and team composition would continue even during the Champions Trophy. Brushing aside the criticism that too much experimentation has cost India quite a few games in the recent past, Chappell said: “First of all one cannot win all the matches. It is not possible. And then, what you call experimentation is a strategy to me. We have different plans and strategies for different opposition.”

The Australian emphasised the need to chalk out a flexible policy. “What we usually do is to try and give chance to all the players available. It offers an opportunity to all the players around to showcase their talent on different days. It helps us as a team as we get a group of players who could be used in different situations.”

Asked about his views on having too many players for the opening slot, Chappell said, “we will have to wait and see. All we try to do is to get the best available combination.”

Chappell’s views were echoed by Dravid when he said the experimentation with the opening slot will continue till the best options come out of it. “These things will go on till the best things come out of it. Like you, we also debate on such subjects. We also express our worries and try to find out what is actually going wrong. Things will continue in this fashion till we find a solution.”

On Ravi Shastri’s recent comments that he should start asserting himself more as captain, Dravid said: “Ravi is a good supporter of the team. I have no issues with him. He has been a fair critic and genuinely cares for the team. But a lot of people are not privy to the decision making process.”

Dravid warned that one should not mix up the one-dayers with the longer version of the game. “In a Test series, one gets to know about the difference of strength between the two teams at the end of the series. In one-dayers, it all depends on the performance in a particular match under a given situation.”

Both were of the opinion that Virender Sehwag will soon return to form. While Dravid went to the extent of saying that Sehwag is a player who can win the World Cup, Chappell said he does not need to motivate the dashing Delhi batsman.

“Sehwag is an experienced player and has scored tons of runs in international cricket. I don’t need to motivate him. He will come back for sure,” said the Aussie coach.

Later, Sachin Tendulkar also expressed his optimism about wining the tournament. “We have a good side, we know the conditions better than other teams and, most important, our team is moving in the right direction.”

Sachin said he considered the Champions Trophy the second most important tournament after the World Cup. “This is our best opportunity to do well before the World Cup. We should go in this step by step. I am sure this one is going to be very exciting.”

The ace batsman felt it was unnecessary to discuss whether he would play aggressive or defensive cricket. “I am basically playing my game. I decide on my approach according to the team’s requirements. I cannot say today I am not in a mood to (play in a particular way). It is a team sport, you have to figure out the team’s requirements and play accordingly.”
 

[suraj]

GC is not really silent. Here are some quotes:

Experimentations will be on, say Chappell and Dravid
- Our best opportunity to do well before World Cup: Sachin 
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

 
Mohammed Kaif, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar in New Delhi on Sunday. (AFP) 


New Delhi: Team India captain Rahul Dravid and coach Greg Chappell on Sunday indicated that their experimentations with batting order and team composition would continue even during the Champions Trophy. Brushing aside the criticism that too much experimentation has cost India quite a few games in the recent past, Chappell said: “First of all one cannot win all the matches. It is not possible. And then, what you call experimentation is a strategy to me. We have different plans and strategies for different opposition.”

The Australian emphasised the need to chalk out a flexible policy. “What we usually do is to try and give chance to all the players available. It offers an opportunity to all the players around to showcase their talent on different days. It helps us as a team as we get a group of players who could be used in different situations.”

Asked about his views on having too many players for the opening slot, Chappell said, “we will have to wait and see. All we try to do is to get the best available combination.”

Chappell’s views were echoed by Dravid when he said the experimentation with the opening slot will continue till the best options come out of it. “These things will go on till the best things come out of it. Like you, we also debate on such subjects. We also express our worries and try to find out what is actually going wrong. Things will continue in this fashion till we find a solution.”

On Ravi Shastri’s recent comments that he should start asserting himself more as captain, Dravid said: “Ravi is a good supporter of the team. I have no issues with him. He has been a fair critic and genuinely cares for the team. But a lot of people are not privy to the decision making process.”

Dravid warned that one should not mix up the one-dayers with the longer version of the game. “In a Test series, one gets to know about the difference of strength between the two teams at the end of the series. In one-dayers, it all depends on the performance in a particular match under a given situation.”

Both were of the opinion that Virender Sehwag will soon return to form. While Dravid went to the extent of saying that Sehwag is a player who can win the World Cup, Chappell said he does not need to motivate the dashing Delhi batsman.

“Sehwag is an experienced player and has scored tons of runs in international cricket. I don’t need to motivate him. He will come back for sure,” said the Aussie coach.

Later, Sachin Tendulkar also expressed his optimism about wining the tournament. “We have a good side, we know the conditions better than other teams and, most important, our team is moving in the right direction.”

Sachin said he considered the Champions Trophy the second most important tournament after the World Cup. “This is our best opportunity to do well before the World Cup. We should go in this step by step. I am sure this one is going to be very exciting.”

The ace batsman felt it was unnecessary to discuss whether he would play aggressive or defensive cricket. “I am basically playing my game. I decide on my approach according to the team’s requirements. I cannot say today I am not in a mood to (play in a particular way). It is a team sport, you have to figure out the team’s requirements and play accordingly.”
 

Jai,

I feel the problem with GC is that "no comments" does not come easy to him. Even in the article that I linked he tries to stay quiet on the issue and then starts expanding upon his theories of mental strength, talent etc etc.

Sometimes better to show results that will be the answers to all questions one way or the other

[Jai]

Well Suraj, imo 'No Comments' is not an answer and hardly anyone can get away with that over a period of time. If you are asked a controversial question by a reporter, you can probably say 'No Comment'. But it's not possible to say that day in and day out. Attending media questions is also part of the coach's job (and captain's too) since we don't have a media manager. Although we can debate the content of his comments, but I won't say that I expect a 'no comment' from GC. And why only GC, everyone else speaks their minds. GC has the right too. I agree that he should ultimately be judged by not what he's saying or what 'the process' is, but by results. The results under him has to be 'at least' as good as what it was under JW. Otherwise imo, he should be considered a failure.

[suraj]

Well Suraj, imo 'No Comments' is not an answer and hardly anyone can get away with that over a period of time. If you are asked a controversial question by a reporter, you can probably say 'No Comment'. But it's not possible to say that day in and day out. Attending media questions is also part of the coach's job (and captain's too) since we don't have a media manager. Although we can debate the content of his comments, but I won't say that I expect a 'no comment' from GC. And why only GC, everyone else speaks their minds. GC has the right too. I agree that he should ultimately be judged by not what he's saying or what 'the process' is, but by results. The results under him has to be 'at least' as good as what it was under JW. Otherwise imo, he should be considered a failure.

True Jai- maybe I am relating the wrong incidents together. My issue with GC unable to control himself started with his "SG and his finances" issue. In these cases maybe you are right that he does need to comment but I also feel that once it has been made clear that this is a long term vision- providing daily soundbites over the same "process" and "experimentation" is hardly neccessary.

There is a timeline for each vision and if results are not seen in that timeline that indicated you have failed and vice versa.

[Jai]

Well Suraj, imo 'No Comments' is not an answer and hardly anyone can get away with that over a period of time. If you are asked a controversial question by a reporter, you can probably say 'No Comment'. But it's not possible to say that day in and day out. Attending media questions is also part of the coach's job (and captain's too) since we don't have a media manager. Although we can debate the content of his comments, but I won't say that I expect a 'no comment' from GC. And why only GC, everyone else speaks their minds. GC has the right too. I agree that he should ultimately be judged by not what he's saying or what 'the process' is, but by results. The results under him has to be 'at least' as good as what it was under JW. Otherwise imo, he should be considered a failure.

True Jai- maybe I am relating the wrong incidents together. My issue with GC unable to control himself started with his "SG and his finances" issue. In these cases maybe you are right that he does need to comment but I also feel that once it has been made clear that this is a long term vision- providing daily soundbites over the same "process" and "experimentation" is hardly neccessary.

There is a timeline for each vision and if results are not seen in that timeline that indicated you have failed and vice versa.

Agree on that. I was a bit surprised to read RD's elaborate comments on what Shastri had to say. Are they now going to react on the comments made by every ex-cricketer? So who's next? Gaekwad? I've seen criticisms by ex-cricketers like Kapil, Wadekar, Prasanna etc. even during this current GC-RD era, but never seen either of these two reacting like that. Why are they taking Shastri's comments so seriously? Why give  Shastri so much importance as compared to those other ex-cricketers?

[suraj]

Well Suraj, imo 'No Comments' is not an answer and hardly anyone can get away with that over a period of time. If you are asked a controversial question by a reporter, you can probably say 'No Comment'. But it's not possible to say that day in and day out. Attending media questions is also part of the coach's job (and captain's too) since we don't have a media manager. Although we can debate the content of his comments, but I won't say that I expect a 'no comment' from GC. And why only GC, everyone else speaks their minds. GC has the right too. I agree that he should ultimately be judged by not what he's saying or what 'the process' is, but by results. The results under him has to be 'at least' as good as what it was under JW. Otherwise imo, he should be considered a failure.

True Jai- maybe I am relating the wrong incidents together. My issue with GC unable to control himself started with his "SG and his finances" issue. In these cases maybe you are right that he does need to comment but I also feel that once it has been made clear that this is a long term vision- providing daily soundbites over the same "process" and "experimentation" is hardly neccessary.

There is a timeline for each vision and if results are not seen in that timeline that indicated you have failed and vice versa.

Agree on that. I was a bit surprised to read RD's elaborate comments on what Shastri had to say. Are they now going to react on the comments made by every ex-cricketer? So who's next? Gaekwad? I've seen criticisms by ex-cricketers like Kapil, Wadekar, Prasanna etc. even during this current GC-RD era, but never seen either of these two reacting like that. Why are they taking Shastri's comments so seriously? Why give  Shastri so much importance as compared to those other ex-cricketers?

Especially with the media hounds who are looking for sound bytes every minute or so nowdays

As for reaction to Shastri- some ex-cricketers seem to evoke more response than others for some reason

Shastri and SMG have usually been involved to greater extent than others in Indian cricket administration and usually SMG is arrely taken upon by the current cricketers