Malcolm Knox - Greg Chappell: Fierce Focus

FIERCE
FOCUS

Published in 2011 by Hardie Grant Books

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers and copyright holders. The moral right of the author has been asserted.

Copyright Greg Chappell 2011

Cataloguing-in-Publication data is available from
the National Library of Australia.

Fierce focus
EISBN 978 1 74273 699 0

Cover design by Design by Committee
Cover photographs Getty Images
Typesetting by Kirby Jones

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To Martin and Jeanne for starting the innings, to Lynn Fuller and Chester Bennett for preparing the way and to Judy for the best and most enduring partnership of them all.

CONTENTS

BY DARSHAK MEHTA

T um kitna Test Khela? (How many Test Matches have you played?) was a catchcry in Indian cricket circles when coaches who hadnt played much Test cricket or who werent respected by players were openly derided by some former Indian Test cricketers. In the case of Greg Chappell, his pedigree as an all-time great of the game and an Australian captain could never be questioned, so when he became Indias coach in 2005 there could be no doubting his credentials.

In the pantheon of Australian cricket, Greg Chappells name is spoken in reverential tones and, among the cricketers of the past 40 years, he keeps extremely elite company: only Lillee, Border, Steve Waugh, Ponting, Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist are in the same echelon as Greg. These are the modern legends of our game.

The elegance of his strokeplay was matched by his extraordinary timing. He rarely appeared to hit the ball; he caressed it away, often disdainfully. For years, I tried to imitate his imperious on-drive in my misspent youth in the suburbs of Bombay, often to make contact with empty air and hear the dreaded death rattle! The ungodly morning alarms to wake up in tingling anticipation of watching (or hearing the likes of Alan McGilvray and Lindsay Hassett describe) a great knock from Greg were well worth braving mosquito bites for.

Most observers also rate him highly (along with Mark Waugh, Neil Harvey and Ricky Ponting) as one of the best fielders Australia has produced. His brother Ian reckons that Greg was possibly the grumpiest bowler of all time. His record will survive the most vigorous scrutiny. Not one contemporary batsman I can think of could have averaged over 56 against a diarrhoea- inducing West Indian fast bowling attack of the quality of Roberts, Holding, Croft and Garner, as Greg did over the 14 World Series Cricket Super Tests. Michael Holding told me that he rated Greg alongside Border and Ian Chappell as the three great Australian players of fast bowling of his generation.

But it is the man behind the dry faade that is the mystery and is often misunderstood. I have had the good fortune of knowing Greg reasonably well and it never ceases to amaze me that the public could have such a different (and, uninformed) opinion of him from the one I hold, perhaps because of the way he is portrayed in the media. Outwardly, he appears calm and assured, and carries himself with dignity. Some people mistake that for arrogance. But, I assure you there is turmoil; he is a sensitive soul and he hurts as easily as you and I. His story in these pages might explain some of his reserve.

Greg is highly intelligent, quick to embrace innovative concepts, technology, new-age thinking and beliefs. It shows his endearing openness and inquisitive nature. I remember reading with the greatest admiration some avant garde ideas Greg espoused in the late 1990s when he ran a highly technical cricket website called The Chappell Way. It was nothing short of revolutionary and an amazing resource on the internet for any cricketing devotee interested in technique or selfimprovement. And, free!

In 2005 Greg was not just a breath of fresh air but a cyclone that blew into Indian cricket and then blew out, spent, two years later. Some in Indian cricket accused Greg of causing damage, but in my opinion it was mainly to egos.

He articulated a radical vision, advocated great ideas and generally tackled his job with zeal and skill, with the aim of preparing Indian cricket for a life without its proven superstars. Predictably, those who were most challenged were the ones who got him (or got to him!) in the end.

Modernising Indian cricket so quickly was too much for one man to accomplish and there was insufficient leadership to support him. Im not sure his critics understood what he was attempting to do, nor appreciated the considerable resistance to change he encountered.

Could Greg have done things differently? Of course, he would. He is brutally honest and he will be the first one to admit that he made mistakes. Dont we all?

However, Gregs achievements in his all-too-brief spell were unheralded.

He was almost single-handedly responsible for the promotion of Indias most talented youngsters; most of his blue-eyed boys would later blossom into good international cricketers.

Greg has an eye like a dead fish for spotting talent and he broke the habit of picking cricketers from the large cities. Never were so many from non-traditional cricket backgrounds given a chance on the big stage. This opportunity has been seized by the likes of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Suresh Raina, R.P. Singh, S. Sreesanth and more importantly given hope to millions born in the wrong caste, city, town, village, religion or side of the tracks. Gregs intervention allowed such boys to dream of playing for India.

India is a land of blind hero-worship. Cricket and movie stars are gods who can do little wrong. Greg was trying to whip the cricket team into shape, make them perform to their potential, stop the petty factionalisms and rivalries and concentrate on making the people of India happiest by winning. In the process, some of the senior cricketers felt threatened and insecure. Others were offended at being spoken to bluntly, though honestly.

I dont think India understood that when you invite a Chappell to be your coach, there is only the Chappell way or the highway. The Chappells are not known to be subtle or shrinking violets and nor do they stand fools, bludgers, spivs and con artists.

The Indian chapters in this book may come as a disagreeable surprise to some Indian journalists or even hardcore Indian fans, but I was amongst a few confidants who knew what was happening during Gregs term. I was apprised of developments confidentially (and sometimes despondently), by email, phone and when we met. But he always wanted the best for Indian cricket because he has always wanted the best for cricket.

Far from being the insensitive and recalcitrant image portrayed by a few ignorant critics, he was much more sinned against than sinning.

I consider both Greg and Ian as friends and never cease to be amazed at their sheer, inherent forthrightness. They never take a backward step or do anything half-heartedly and that includes an argument. I have emerged fully bruised on a few occasions. However, you will not find a more loyal friend than Greg.

The Chappells are true to themselves and, believe it or not, highly, highly compassionate, though they will gruffly deny it.