What if Wednesday | What if Greg Chappell never became the coach of Team India

What if Wednesday | What if Greg Chappell never became the coach of Team India

no photo

|

SportsCafe

A considerably huge part of India’s contemporary cricket history has been consumed by the gravely unpopular Sourav Ganguly-Greg Chappell controversy, the fallout and its aftermath. But what if the former Australian captain was never offered to be head coach of Team India?

As a known-to-all fact, things didn’t go down well between Sourav Ganguly and India’s the-then newly appointed coach Greg Chappell. There have been facts, several theories and so many different inputs about the controversy between Indian captain and coach in the mid-2000s. Contrastingly, Ganguly had a fairly good relationship with John Wright, the one who preceded Chappell. All that glorified period had but resulted in a shared Champions Trophy and a lost World Cup final. There was always something missing despite the strong leadership and a team full of legends. It was, in fact, Ganguly’s insistence that had resulted in the signing of Chappell as coach after Wright’s contract was over. But what if Ganguly had insisted on having Wright for another long term? What if Greg Chappell never happened to Team India?

The year is 2004 and the wounds of the 2003 World Cup final loss, their first final since the 1983 World Cup victory, are still fresh. All those memories were brought back when India faced a shameful defeat against Pakistan in the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy after a 2-1 loss to England, the hosts of the ICC event. Yes, the promising Indian team wasn’t doing miraculously well ever since the World Cup final defeat, but it was more about the ups and downs than anything else. Meanwhile, in late 2003, Sourav Ganguly’s team India did tour Australia, in what was Steve Waugh’s farewell series, and were able to draw the four-match Test rubber 1-1. 

That remained the highlight of India’s cricketing season while in ODIs there wasn’t anything major and the only bilateral wins recorded were against Pakistan and Bangladesh. Meanwhile, unwanted cold friction between Ganguly and coach John Wright started to develop. I mean, the early tiff over Virender Sehwag couldn’t have been overlooked. But one fine day Ganguly decided he would have a chat with the coach about a new strategy he had been thinking off.

Ahead of the first Test against Australia in 2004 in Bangalore, the coach presented himself in front of the media and revealed that it was his and the captain’s mutual decision to rope in the legendary Sunil Gavaskar as a batting consultant. At a press conference during the series, the captain had revealed no team decisions will be taken without the consent of the coach. A stronger bond was in formation right ahead of Wright’s end of tenure. Wright was held highly by the team members and especially the captain and as the BCCI offered a term extension to his contract, Wright happily accepted it. For a week or so, the BCCI had been looking at other candidates like Greg Chapell, Tom Moody, you know, just in case. 

Now, India are just not focussing on the legends that they already have but also the newcomers, especially a certain MS Dhoni. The year 2005 went on fairly well for India and it was but the harmony between the leaders that was working out well for India. Meanwhile, an extremely stern individual who was also one of BCCI’s candidates has been selected as the South Africa national head coach. The Proteas, who had been struggling in ICC contests for ages, needed a major change in their setup and bagged a huge deal in roping in the Australian batting great. Speculations had also stated that whilst Ganguly wanted Wright to remain coach, if the latter had in fact opted out, then the captain’s next best choice was no one but Chappell.

While the Aussie was adjusting to the South African climate, a well set India were forerunners in ICC Champions Trophy 2006/07 contest. India, the hosts, won all games in the group stage including the one against Australia where Ganguly had promoted MS Dhoni to number five and they both formed a 150+ partnership and put up a total of 322 on board. Eventually, Irfan Pathan - who did hit a couple of sixes as a number 9 - bagged a four-wicket haul to help India seal victory. Meanwhile, a new-look South Africa side under the captaincy of AB de Villiers had crashed out in the knockout stage after a promising start at the group stages. The unbeaten Indian team met Australia once again in the final of the Champions Trophy and a hundred by Ganguly had helped India lift the big trophy. Now, there was no doubt as to who would lead the Indian side in the upcoming World Cup. 

Team India walk into the ICC tournament, hosted by West Indies, with a winning momentum and cross all hurdles with flying colours. India did struggle a bit against Bangladesh but a five-wicket haul by Pathan had successfully defended a tricky total of 191. Beating New Zealand in the semifinal, Ganguly and co. are now to face the might Australia one more time in a World cup final. Meanwhile, de Villiers’ South Africa team had crashed out before the knockout stage.

Although not as shameful one as the 2003 World Cup final, India lost to Australia once again as Ganguly and Dravid scored fifties but the bowlers failed to defend a total of 290. However, both India and South Africa stood by their captains. But John Wright was sure about moving on this time while Chappell remained coach of the Proteas, because even though they couldn’t make it to the semifinals, his idea of trying out a young JP Duminy instead of Loots Bosman won the board's backing. Chappell continued his ways of building a young team while India appointed Gary Kirsten as head coach. Kirsten achieved immediate success with MS Dhoni in their maiden T20 World Cup win in 2007. 

For a good couple of years, Kirsten and Ganguly had shared a good relationship and it was his recommendation that Ganguly stepped down as Test captain. After a long series of speculation, Ganguly broke it to the media that he will be retiring from Tests and T20Is to focus on ODIs alone. He also remained captain of the ODI side while Dravid took up the leadership role in the longest format. But with Ganguly’s form deteriorating in ODIs as well, Dhoni is asked to captain in 2010 by coach Gary Kirsten. That didn’t go down well with Ganguly, who quit just one year ahead of the 2011 World Cup at home. 

Fast forward to one year later, India has moved on from Ganguly but the team was actually the one that Ganguly-Wright formed over the years. It was Dhoni and Kirsten to take the team to the heights during the mega event at home. Meanwhile, South Africa are favourites with a strong young side with the likes of the captain de Villiers himself, a promising Hashim Amla, a talented Faf du Plessis and a powerful striker JP Duminy. With Dale Steyn leading the bowling attack, it was all the more fierce.

Beating New Zealand in the quarter-final and eventually Sri Lanka in the semifinal, South Africa FINALLY make their way into their maiden World Cup final. Meanwhile, it was now certain that Sachin Tendulkar would not see a single World Cup win in his career as an uninspired India were knocked out by Australia in the semifinal. A heavily inspired South Africa met the might Aussies in the final of the 2011 World Cup at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai. A huge chase of 352 in front of them, de Villiers smashed the fastest hundred in ODIs off just 31 deliveries and went on to score 189, while Duminy smashed a six off the second delivery of the final over by Brett Lee. A packed Wankhede stadium cheered in joy as history was made when registered their first-ever World Cup victory and how!

Get updates! Follow us on

Open all