Process-ion moves to Durban

“Whatever anyone says, the process is very important. It has been proven all over the world that systems are needed, a process is needed to set things up. Otherwise, you will have ‘ad-hocery’ and that will lead you nowhere.”

Prodded to comment on whether his methods were more suited to coaching Australians, the coach wrapped it up in one line. “If speaking the truth in India is a problem, then Indian cricket has a problem,” he said.

But Chappell did agree that what is being done for the seniors will just fade away if the juniors were not brought on board. “Ideally, the junior cricket programme should go hand in hand with the plan for seniors. If it doesn’t, then it is fraught with danger. A feeding process is necessary, because if it isn’t, then it would create a vacuum when senior cricketers leave in a bunch,” he said.

Elaborating on the ‘process’ that has taken him nearly a year to shape, Chappell said, “Countries everywhere, corporates, all use a system. There are highs and lows in everything, you have to be patient about things, you cannot afford to be too emotional, otherwise it will lead you nowhere. In Australia, for instance, we started a process in the mid-eighties, it took nine years for things to come together. The England bowlers who won them the Ashes last year were the result of a process that took five years.”

Of course, he admitted, there was the odd occasion when that process had to be adjusted – Zaheer Khan’s return, for instance. “Now he has to pick up what has been put in place over the last 12 months. It has to be fast-tracked but he is a fast learner. I am glad that he has come back in better shape and in a better frame of mind,” said Chappell.

Then there was this recent run after the West Indies tour where “we got just 6 out of 13 games” to work on, after rains drowned the Sri Lanka series, cut into the Malaysia tri-series and swamped the first game in Johannesburg yesterday.

“I find that an astonishing figure. We have not been able to find any rhythm. Besides, some of the matches we lost were very close affairs, coming down to the last over. Yesterday was another day lost. It’s disappointing, but not a disaster. The boys have been working hard, and I believe hard work always yields results,” he said.

Finally, the Champions Trophy, and what many had suspected – the 11-day break after the win against England did matter. Admitting that the gap hurt the team’s chances badly, Chappell said, “We needed another game soon after that win.”

‘After Kapil, Srinath, it’s Munaf, Sreesanth’

Coach Greg Chappell is sure that after Kapil Dev and Javagal Srinath, India’s best pace bet has been the duo of Sreesanth and Munaf Patel. He also made two startling admissions. “Without Sreesanth, we could not have won the Test series against the West Indies,” he said, adding, “And we could not have won there if we had gone with the same combination we went with in Pakistan.”

While Sreesanth had rocked the Windies in the final Test at the Sabina Park with five crucial wickets, India’s pace attack against Pakistan during the Test series last year-end had Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan and RP Singh.

Munaf, Chappell added, is one of the most exciting pace prospects he has come across, though the Ikhar hero did need some more experience. “He is still learning, but I promise you Munaf will be very good very soon. It took England years to build a pace attack that regained the Ashes. You have to be patient with the pacemen,” he said.