**‘Chappell could’ve been a better choice as Pak coach’
**
By Khalid Hussain
KARACHI: Cricket legend Imran Khan believes Pakistan would have been better off with Australian Greg Chappell as their coach instead of Bob Woolmer.
“I think that the combination of Inzamam-ul-Haq as captain and Bob Woolmer as coach becomes too defensive which is why I think a more attacking coach like Chappell would have been better for Pakistan,” said the former Pakistan skipper in an interview here on Monday.
Pakistan, a naturally flamboyant side, has become quite a defensive team under the seasoned Woolmer, an Englishman who shot to international cricketing fame as a successful coach for South Africa. Woolmer’s stint as Pakistan coach has been less impressive in spite of the fact that there have been several good results as well.
However, Imran is not too pleased with the Englishman’s defensive tactics. “Pakistan can do better if they resume playing attacking cricket,” said Imran who led Pakistan to their only World Cup triumph in 1992.
Imran said a more aggressive Chappell, an Australian, could’ve proved to be a better coach with this Pakistan team. The cricketer-turned-politician is of the view that Pakistan should not face many problems in winning the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka. He points out that even with spin wizard Muttiah Mualitharan on their side, the hosts are not a balanced squad and the Pakistanis should go on to win the Test series comfortably. Pakistan triumphed in the three-match One-day International (ODI) series 2-0 against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
Imran said Pakistan committed a mistake by dropping tearaway pacer Mohammad Sami from the touring squad, saying, “I believe Sami should’ve been in the team for the series against Sri Lanka as the tour would’ve helped him in getting ready for the more important assignment in England this summer.”
Pakistan are to play four Tests and five ODIs in England during a marathon tour to be held from July 1 to September 10. Imran added that there are just around four or five bowlers in international cricket today who can bowl over 90mph and Sami is one of them.
One of world cricket’s most famous personalities, Imran is not a big supporter of the Twenty20 version of the game. “Twenty20 matches do not benefit cricketers in any way,” he said. “Already there is a lot of cricket being played all over the world and there is no room of this new version,” he added pointing out that the players are already at a bigger risk of injuries than ever before because of too many ODIs.
Commenting on South Africa’s record chase in an ODI against Australia at the Wanderers, Johannesburg earlier this month, Imran said he wasn’t too surprised by the stunning outcome of the high-scoring thriller, pointing out that one-day cricket is a batsman’s game and any total is achievable on batsman-friendly wickets.
As much as I have agreed with Imran Khan’s comments that he made in recent times during editions of Straight Drive about sorting our batting order and things of that nature, I, quite simply, fail to agree with the false theory made above. Clearly, it is an insult to a coach, who has proved to be clean as a whistle, and was rather an effort to bring down a positive morale of a man, who has constantly worked wonders ever since he has stepped foot in Pakistani camp. Looking at the present scene and situation from a more overall point of view (a big picture, if you will), it is definitely not the coach who has been rather defensive; it is the captain Inzamam himself! After the huge loss to India on our home soil, a large number of fans brushed the heavy defeat under the carpet, but the facts are facts and Imran did a very decent job of pointing out those facts during his stint on Straight Drive. However, a direct attack on one of the most successful and proven coaches in world cricket is far from receiving any votes, in my honest opinion.
All in all, even though it might seem as though Chappell is more ‘attacking’ via his mindset compared to Bob Woolmer, the latter is touted as a successful cornerstone from which Inzamam commanded traffic and, in turn, spread the sense of respect and discipline amongst the team on a more frequent basis than ever before. If anything, that should be one of the most prominent elements that one should always keep under consideration.
As for Mohammad Sami, well, turn me upside down and paint me blue.
