NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif feels former coach Greg Chappell lacked man-management skills and that is why he couldn't do well with the Indian team despite boasting of such an impressive playing career.
Chappell was coach of the Indian team for two controversy-riddled years between 2005 and 2007 in which he clashed with several senior members of the team, especially then-captain and current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly.
"Chappell could have been a good batting coach. But he spoilt his name, as he could not run the team properly, he couldn't understand the Indian culture and lacked good man-management skills and hence didn't prove to be a good coach," Kaif was quoted as saying by TimesofIndia.com
Kaif also explained the difference between Chappell and his predecessor John Wright, under whose stewardship India won numerous bilateral trophies and entered the final of 2003 World Cup as well.
"People respected John Wright because he coordinated well with the players and let Ganguly the captain lead the team from the front," Kaif said.
Kaif isn't the first India cricketer to hit out at the Australian in recent times as earlier, Harbhajan had referred to Chappell's time with Team India as 'worst days of Indian cricket'.
Harbhajan's post read: "He asked Dhoni to play along the ground coz coach was hitting everyone out the park.. He was playing different games. #worstdaysofindiancricketundergreg."
Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh replied to Harbhajan's Tweet and seemingly took a thinly-veiled dig at Chappell. His post read: "Msd and Yuvi no sixes in the last 10 play down the ground." (IANS)