Ahead of the World Cup, Indian cricket coach Greg Chappell has warned that 'cold and calculating' decisions would have to be taken while picking the squad.
NEW DELHI: Ahead of the World Cup, Indian cricket coach Greg Chappell has warned that 'cold and calculating' decisions would have to be taken while picking the squad.
Chappell said there were a couple of places in the team which were yet to be decided and that would call for some tough moves.
"We have to be fairly cold and calculating in making decisions and base them on facts than fiction, on knowledge and experience than whether media or general public is going to like it. We have taken some tough decisions and most of them have worked out well," he said.
"The team requires flexibility in batting and bowling and need good fielders. We hoped that it would be getting together at this stage and it is. We are not far away from having the best squad," Chappell said.
The coach said the team must get into the World Cup mindset only during the tournament.
"We need to get into the World Cup mindset only at the World Cup. We have a few more games before that and we need to give players opportunities and build experience," he said in an interview.
The former Australian captain said the team's preparation for the mega event was on the right track, barring a couple of places which would be decided soon.
"There will be two or three places that will be decided in the next two weeks. We don't want to be too far settled or too far away from being settled, for you will never know who might come along. For instance, Dinesh Kaarthick showed his talent and temperament against South Africa," he said.
"Our run last year and early this year made us look better than what we were and our recent run made us look worse than what we were. I am neither unhappy nor delirious. A cricket team is always a work in progress," Chappell said.
The coach said the two series at home before the World Cup were very crucial.
The coach agreed that the team was yet to find a genuine all rounder.
"Yes. But all teams are searching for genuine all-rounders, and there are only a few like Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock and Andrew Flintoff. Australia has tried Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson.
"We need flexibility. Sachin Tendulkar bowled well in the Nagpur match. Virender Sehwag has that ability, so has Irfan Pathan, Yuvraj Singh and Ajit Agarkar to a lesser degree. I would not expect Sachin to bowl 10 overs every time, but if he can bowl three to six on a consistent basis and if Yuvraj can bowl three or four overs that will be fine".
"Suresh Raina can be useful as an all-rounder, but it does not mean he will be a match winner with the bat and the ball, but will do the job," he said.
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