EXCLUSIVE
He has always been hailed as one of the most astute observers and analysts of the game. As player, coach and selector, Greg Chappell has seen it all. While his tenure as India coach was marred by problems and controversies, he has continued to follow Indian cricket closely, and always had pertinent observations on the game and individual players. As RevSportz’s expert for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, Chappell had pointed out that he had seen a few issues with Shubman Gill at the start of his innings that could make it difficult for the talented youngster to score freely at The Oval. He was proved right. In this episode of the Backstage With Boria World Cup special, Chappell has made some extremely important observations about the World Cup, most notably on Virat Kohli, Gill and Jasprit Bumrah.
Excerpts from the conversation:
Boria: In the last edition of the World T20 in Australia, you hailed Virat Kohli’s innings as one of the best ever. Can you talk to me about it, and how do you see Virat in this forthcoming World Cup on home soil?
Greg Chappell: Let me take you back a little bit. When I was coach of India, Sachin [Tendulkar] called me one morning and wanted to come and see me. When he came into my room, the first question he asked was: “Why does batting get more difficult over time?” I remember telling him that over time, you learn a lot and process all the information in your subconscious mind. As a talented youngster cutting your teeth in international cricket, all you do is see and hit the ball. You are not concerned about reputation, about pressure or about expectations. However, with time, things change. With experience, you know what to expect, what the opposition bowlers are expected to bowl to you, and how much the country wants you to succeed. All this information is there in your mind and can cause problems. The opponents too know much more about you over time and are better prepared. If you want to bat freely, you need to de-clutter your mind of all this information. You need to be mentally prepared, and do so with a free mind. That’s the key. If you are able to free yourself up mentally, you can bat the way you did early on in your career and control the game. That’s what Virat was able to do in the last World T20 in Australia against Pakistan.
If you go and see that innings again, the one thing that will stand out is the kind of shots he played. He did not back away and try to slog, he did not charge the bowler, and most of his shots were conventional cricket shots played according to the merit of the ball. In my book, it was the perfect batting masterclass by the master himself.
I am sure Virat will want to be in a similar mental space in this World Cup. If he can approach the tournament with a free mind and prepare well, which he always does, he will score a lot of runs for India and will be a key influence in the competition.
Boria: If it is Virat in batting, it has to be Jasprit Bumrah in bowling. Making a comeback after an injury lay-off is never easy. As someone who has played and coached at the highest level, what do you reckon should be Bumrah’s approach as he makes it back for the World Cup?
Greg Chappell: It is very much similar to that of Virat. He needs to de-clutter his mind and take it gradually. From what I have seen of him, he seems to have a very good mind. He will have to break things down for himself. Take it one ball at a time. Not think too much about what can happen next. If he goes for a boundary, it is important to know that particular ball is over and done with. He needs to move away from it, and focus on the next ball. Comebacks are not easy. Thoughts of the injury stay on in your mind and that could impact performance. And that’s why you need to free your mind. If he is able to do so and mentally get back to being the bowler that he was, he will do extremely well for India.
“Asian teams will have an advantage”- #GregChappell on the upcoming @cricketworldcup.
“50 overs cricket should be minimized in between the World Cups! says Chappell agreeing with @SGanguly99.#GregChappell Exclusive in today’s #BWB.@AgeasFederal @Pebble_India @Wowmomo4u pic.twitter.com/SlaR65VWAG
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) August 19, 2023
Boria: This World Cup could well be a clash of the fab five – Virat, Steve Smith, Babar Azam, Joe Root and Kane Williamson, who is on a comeback trail. Your thoughts?
Greg Chappell: I think each one of them will score a lot of runs for their teams. The format makes for that. And the timing of the World Cup, the conditions expected in India, all of it will suit these players who are all very good players for their respective teams. Having said that, I would pick Virat Kohli and Steve Smith as the two best all-format players, and think it will be between these two in the World Cup to stamp their supremacy.
Boria: The last time the World Cup was played in India in 2011, three of the Asian teams in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka made the semi-final. Was it because of home advantage, and how do you see things unfolding this time round?
Greg Chappell: Home advantage makes a huge difference, and I am very sure India will start favourites on home soil. When I was coach of India, one thing I observed was that the Indians are very comfortable in dealing with any challenges thrown at them by any opposition at home. It was evident to me sitting inside the Indian change room and looking out. It has not changed, and this Indian team under Rohit [Sharma] and Rahul [Dravid] is a very good one. I think they have a good chance in home conditions. Having said that, winning these tournaments is never easy. So I would urge caution if you are an Indian fan. Be cautiously optimistic. While India will have a very good chance, if things don’t go your way, you should not be heartbroken for it can happen in sport. Some of the other teams like Australia and England are very good teams, and with the IPL, the aura of the conditions have been somewhat demystified over time.
Boria: That was actually my next question. With the Australians, English and a number of other international players now being IPL regulars and spending more than two months in India every year, do you think they are better prepared than earlier teams for this World Cup?
Greg Chappell: I will agree with you on this one. They will have the confidence of knowing the conditions. They play in India regularly and know what to expect. They know of the pitches they will be playing on, and first-hand knowledge always helps. Most importantly, Indian culture and the sights and sounds of the country are no longer alien. You don’t feel overawed by it anymore and that’s a key thing. And that’s why I said Australia and England, who are both very good sides with very good balance, have a real chance in India.
Boria: You have the experience of coaching India in a World Cup. But now with social media all pervasive, can you help put in context how tough it could be for Rohit and Rahul Dravid in home conditions with the expectations being sky high?
Greg Chappell: There is no doubt there will be huge pressure on them. Having said that, the simple thing to do would be to not check social media on your phones during the World Cup. More so during the key matches. Players like Rohit have been around for long enough to know this. Rahul is a very experienced man, and will know how to insulate himself and his team from all this outside noise. The noise does not necessarily reflect what the team tends to think, and it is not important for the team to take cognizance of it. They need to be in their bubble and know what their plans are. Social media can’t influence the team, and I am sure the Indians know it. While it is easier said than done, as elite high-performance sportsmen, it is expected that they will know what to do.
“There is no doubt there will be huge pressure on them.”- #GregChappell on #RahulDravid and @ImRo45‘s pressure for the @cricketworldcup.
Opens up on why India has failed to win @ICC trophies in recent years, and more!@AgeasFederal @Pebble_India @Wowmomo4u @BoriaMajumdar #BWB pic.twitter.com/khJNwTCYbe
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) August 19, 2023
Boria: Finally, I need to ask you about Shubman Gill. Ahead of the WTC final, you had mentioned that you spotted something in Gill which Andrew McDonald would also notice. Do you think Gill will be okay on home soil, and can continue the form he had shown when playing in home conditions in 50-over crickets and the IPL?
Greg Chappell: Yes, I think he will be fine and will score a lot of runs. What I had seen was far more relevant for red-ball cricket, and in conditions where the ball moves around a lot at the start of an innings. In India, it will not be the case. In India, there will not be too many fielders behind the wicket in catching positions in a 50-over contest. Yes, the white ball can still do a bit and there are some very good bowlers who will be bowling to Gill at the start of an innings. Mitch Starc or Shaheen Afridi, for example, are very good bowlers. And he could very well get some good balls at the start of his innings. But I still think he is a good player, and will be perfectly fine in Indian conditions for the World Cup. There should be nothing to worry about as far as Gill is concerned, unlike during the WTC final at The Oval in early June where the ball moved around appreciably.