Newly-appointed India coach Greg Chappell got talking tough right from day one. He emphasized on Australia's policy of making sure that no cricketer, however great he is, should be allowed to overstay at the cost of the team's performance.
"There comes a time in the life of a player when he has to be told that the time has come for him to go. It has happened with the top Australian batsmen and bowlers and it should happen in any side that wants to improve its performance," he said, addressing the press after being selected for the job, ahead of countryman Tom Moody, West Indies' Desmond Haynes and India's Mohinder Amarnath.
Chappell believes that India has the talent and potential to strike gold at the next World Cup, in the West Indies in 2007, but hastened to add that for it to happen the team needs to be purposeful.
"The team is very talented, but then they have to show their commitment to the game just as the Australians do."
The former Australia captain though ruled out change in leadership of the Indian team, saying that Sourav Ganguly has a tremendous record as the captain.
"If Sourav can overcome some technical difficulties and regain form we would not question replacing him as captain. He has an awesome record as captain. It will not be long before he is back among the runs," he said.
Asked whether he would be able to handle star players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble, he replied, "Well these players have to show commitment to the game, just as I have to show commitment to the game as a coach."
The job of India coach would require spending a lot of time in the country. One of the candidates last time, Rodney Marsh, lost out on the job because he wasn't able to commit so much time to the assignment.
Chappell cleared the query by saying that once the contract is signed he will have to devote all his time to the team's cause.
"My wife is very excited about the new assignment. I have a commitment to give 24 hours a day, seven days a week to the BCCI and the Indian team."
Chappell said that since the Australian national side was in "good hands" and the team had been doing well for a while he wasn't involved in coaching at the national level at home.
Asked to name the Indian players he enjoyed playing with or watching, he refrained naming any of the current lot.
"I would say that former Indian captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi gave us a run for our money during the Indian tour to Australia when he was leading the side. With one eye and one injured leg he still managed to give us a harrowing time. The others who I enjoyed playing with or watching include Sunil Gavaskar, (G R) Vishwanath, (Erapalli) Prasanna, (Bhagwat) Chandrasekhar, (Srinivas) Venkataraghavan and Bishen Singh Bedi.
"There are a number of world-class players in the Indian team at the moment. These sort of players do not grow on the trees," he said.
He also appealed to the Indian media to be a little considerate and allow him build a rapport with the fraternity so that they can have a healthy relationship.
