Chappell ready to make big calls as Cricket Australia’s first ‘fulltime selector’
By ANITuesday, August 24, 2010
SYDNEY - Former Australian Test skipper Greg Chappell has said that he is ready to make the big calls after being appointed the country’s first full-time selector by Cricket Australia (CA) on Monday.
Chappell will vacate his current position as the head coach of the Centre of Excellence to take on the official role of national talent manager operating from Melbourne.
“It comes with the territory. You have to earn the right to play for Australia, that’s something the whole selection panel is conscious of, and will bear in mind going forward. There’s no rush to push anyone out the door,” said Chappell, who was held responsible for ending Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy stint during his time as Team India coach.
He further stressed that any cricket team is ‘always a work in progress’, and the board has to keep that regeneration going as much as possible.
“You also need some experience in that group as well. We are very fortunate that we have a very experienced group of senior players, a few in the middle bracket and a few younger ones coming through,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Chappell, as saying.
“It gives me a pretty good feel for what’s out there and what is required for the next couple of years,” he added.
Since his retirement as a player in 1984, Chappell has pursued various business and media interests, and has been a selector for national and Queensland teams.
However, in 1988, Chappell quit the selection panel and cut all links to cricket.
“I enjoyed the role as a selector in the mid-80s to late-80s, I only really gave it away due to family and business commitments,” he said.
He was appointed Indian team’s coach on a two-year contract in 2005, but a series of controversies and personality clashes, combined with India’s poor performance at the 2007 World Cup led to his resignation from the position in April 2007. (ANI)
