Kapil Dev slams Indian seniors

[King]

Kapil Dev lambasted senior cricketers for reportedly lobbying for Dav Whatmore. More...

[yoda]

valid questions raised by kapil. senior players can be consulted and presented with a few choices to get their feedback. but for them to openly lobby for one person isn't right.

[Predator_05]

Why isn't it right ? The players are the ones who will have to work with the coach (whoever it may be) day in and day out. Ultimately, it's their decision and therefore their opinions should be valued more than anyone elses. The selection process should start with and end with the players' opinions. What do the administrators in the BCCI know about cricket anyway ? Absolutely nothing. As for Kapil, i think he should just shut the f*ck up. He has been a bitter mongrel ever since John Wright was appointed and vented his frustration with any coach associated with India because they were all far better at their job than he ever was. Kapil is a loser and failure - the worst coach India has ever had; hence his opinions have no credibility. He needs to get a life.

[Ram]

"One day, things will be such than Sachin (Tendulkar), VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly will be in contention for the coach's job but would never get it." Sachin , Saurav or Laxman as coach -- that would be a disaster ! Rahul would make an outstanding coach ...

[Bumper]

"The players have never worked with Whatmore, how can they recommend his name," a miffed Kapil told news channel Aaj Tak."The players have never worked with Whatmore, how can they recommend his name," a miffed Kapil told news channel Aaj Tak.

What kinda ridiculous reasoning is that by Kapil ? Everyone in the team knew & worked with Kapil when he was hired. He was a disastrous coach, while no one knew John Wright, our best ever coach.

[Ram]

Why is there this culture doing the bidding of an induvidual in our cricket ? It seems the board may go for a "comprinmise formula" and appoint G.Vishwanath as batting coach because Gavaskar wants him. Vishwanath is one of the all the time greats and i have nothing against his name being in the fray. But appointing him jus coz Gavaskar wants him is unfortunate. And why does Gavaskar have such position of poeawer anyway ? i honestly dont rate him high interms of cricketing intelligence. I feel he was a selfish player who always put records and personel acheivements in front of the team

[Bumper]

Who the hell cares what Gavaskar wants ? The players should have a say in coaching matters. Besides Whatmore may like to have his own staff around him. We already have a fielding coach, bowling coach, spin coach, physio, trainer, media manager etc. No need to add another batting coach to this team. At some point, the staff is gonna outnumber the players.

[yoda]

when you have a committe to pick the coaches (sunny, shastri, venkat), the process should start and end with them while others are consulted as needed. that is what being professional is all about. how do dravid and co. know that whatmore would be perfect for this team without sitting and talking to him in a proper setting trying to see what his plan is for this team, etc?

[beetle]

Kapil Dev should stick to playing golf . He is the only guy I know who can't speak a single sensible sentence in any language even after being a part of the media for so long.Heshould just keep his mouth shut!!!!

[Raj]

Kapil will be out of a job at this rate... Pawar and co really have taken a liking to Whatmore whether we like it or not...

[zubinpepsi]

when you have a committe to pick the coaches (sunny, shastri, venkat), the process should start and end with them while others are consulted as needed. that is what being professional is all about. how do dravid and co. know that whatmore would be perfect for this team without sitting and talking to him in a proper setting trying to see what his plan is for this team, etc?

atleast whatmore has a proven record with sub-continental teams.. WTF does kapil know abt the performance of indian coaches?? infact he even sucked at tht .... dint he?? this fackin worlcup winning captain shud talk with some rational thinkin instead of jus BSing..

[zubinpepsi]

atleast Gavasakar makes some sense here.. I have nothing against foreign coach - Gavaskar Cricinfo staff June 4, 2007 Sunil Gavaskar: 'If I was anti-foreigner, how did Greg Chappell become coach?' © Getty Images Sunil Gavaskar, the former Indian captain who is on the seven-man panel that will decide India's next coach, has clarified that he wasn't against having a foreigner as the coach of the national team. Gavaskar had a while back pointed out in a newspaper column that Habibul Bashar, the Bangladesh captain, hadn't received enough tactical help from the think-tank during the recent home series against India, a statement that seemed to hint at his disapproval of Whatmore. However, Gavaskar, 58, denied any such disapproval and said that his decision with regard to India's next coach would be in keeping with the team's interests. "If I was anti-foreigner, how did Greg Chappell become coach? It was a unanimous decision (in 2005)," he told Mid-Day, a Mumbai-based tabloid. He reiterated that he would attend Monday evening's meeting to select the coach with an open mind, and maintained that the thoughts put forth in his columns didn't translate into rejecting anyone as a coaching candidate. "I am open to all kinds of discussion and anyone who makes a valid point will win the day. Ultimately, we have to do what we believe - rightly or wrongly - is best for Indian cricket. Don't I have a right to express myself in my columns? Isn't that what I am expected to do as a columnist? "I made the observation that Bashar did not always get the tactical input he should have. How does that statement translate into disapproving of Whatmore as coach? If people want to read between the lines, then good luck to them. I have expressed my views strictly as a columnist." He also explained what transpired at the coach-selection meeting in 2005. "We discussed the pros and cons of the candidates that were invited for the interview. Venkat spoke about Tom Moody, Ravi mentioned Greg Chappell and I spoke about Mohinder Amarnath and Desmond Haynes. If Venkat had talked about the pros and cons of Mohinder, I would have talked about the pros and cons of Moody. "There was no particular reason for us speaking about A or B. We spoke because we had to discuss all the candidates. We as former players expressed our views and then it was up to the Board. Hands went up and Chappell was chosen unanimously as coach. So where is the issue?" © Cricinfo

[Anakin]

Kapil has always been like that, never forgets and forgives and thus always bitter.

[Predator_05]

Gavaskar is another sanctimonious tool who needs to get a life. God, i hate all these former cricketers. The only one worth his salt is Navjot Singh Sidhu.

[Lurker]

Wow! Lot of negative blood flowing in this thread. Kapil Dev is quite correct in questioning the degree of influence the players in the team have over the selection of the cricket coach. It is one thing for players to give their opinion about some XYZ name, completely different to start lobbying for the person!! As it so happens it is almost like these senior players are lobbying for Whatmore which any way you look at it is completely wrong. And why should a Sachin tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly or Sehwag have a say in who is going to be National Coach? Why is the stature of Sachin Tendulkar different from say Dhoni?? Why does Saurav Ganguly get to lobby for Whatmore and not say Shikhar Dhawan? This is clearly a case of misplaced idol-worship. Putting it simple these shameless cricketers should do what they are paid to do..that is play cricket and stop playing politics. And what is the role of the Selectors in all this? Why dont they all resign and let the players keep choosing their team and the captain?? xxx

[Predator_05]

In every other sport, the leading players in any team always have a say in the selection of a coach or some other member of management who will be working closely with them. Why should it be any different in cricket ?

[Lurker]

In every other sport' date=' the leading players in any team always have a say in the selection of a coach or some other member of management who will be working closely with them. Why should it be any different in cricket ?[/quote'] Lets keep this to cricket since it would be completely unfair to compare it with say Rugby. With that being said can you point me towards an occassion when a team with all-time "greats" like Sachin, Dravid, Ganguly has been accused of lobbying for a person(Whatmore)? Again it is one thing for a player to be asked of his opinion. Completely different for a group of player to form a coterie and lobby for someone. And pray do tell why does a Sachin tendulkar gets to lobby for a Whatmore and not a Dinesh Karthik for say Sandeep Patil? What happens if 3 players support Whatmore, 3 others John Ford and 3 others Sandeep Patil. Now suddenly you have 3 support lobbies in Indian cricket team! xxx

[Predator_05]

What happens if 3 players support Whatmore, 3 others John Ford and 3 others Sandeep Patil. Now suddenly you have 3 support lobbies in Indian cricket team! xxx

I was under the impression that the entire team supports Whatmore's selection ? Dravid and co. as seniors, are representative of the players, so it's safe to assume that they have the team's best interests in mind

[Lurker]

I was under the impression that the entire team supports Whatmore's selection ? Dravid and co. as seniors' date=' are representative of the players, so it's safe to assume that they have the team's best interests in mind[/quote'] This is what I picked from Cricinfo today Predz. in the run-up to Monday's selection meeting Graham Ford, the former South African coach, has emerged as the No. 1 choice of the players. http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/india/content/current/story/296803.html Which makes me wonder how is it that Indian players are so quick in choosing their number 1 coach every other day? One day it is Whatmore, the other day it is Ford. I would also say that if players are intersted in giving their opinions about coach they should also be made liable to the responsibilities. It is like a Manager getting Mr. X for a role in his project. What happens if Mr. X does not deliver? Well the reputation of the Manager gets on the line. So if Ford(or Whatmore) does not deliver would the reputation of Sachin be put on the line?? If no, isnt that the classic case of having your cake and eating it too? xxxx

[Predator_05]

This is what I picked from Cricinfo today Predz. in the run-up to Monday's selection meeting Graham Ford, the former South African coach, has emerged as the No. 1 choice of the players. http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/india/content/current/story/296803.html Which makes me wonder how is it that Indian players are so quick in choosing their number 1 coach every other day? One day it is Whatmore, the other day it is Ford. I would also say that if players are intersted in giving their opinions about coach they should also be made liable to the responsibilities. It is like a Manager getting Mr. X for a role in his project. What happens if Mr. X does not deliver? Well the reputation of the Manager gets on the line. So if Ford(or Whatmore) does not deliver would the reputation of Sachin be put on the line?? If no, isnt that the classic case of having your cake and eating it too? xxxx

Sure, i'm all for accountability. Besides, none of this matters anymore. The establishment, ie; Kapil and the other losers - got what they wanted. Whatmore is now out of contention. I still think the players would have backed Whatmore, but were forced to bail out since it was clear that those who comprise the powers that be, ie; Gavaskar, were opposed to his selection and would argue against it. India's loss.