Greg Chappell Left the Indian Team in Scraps - VVS Laxman

After Ganguly and Tendulkar, another Indian cricketer has slammed Greg Chappell in his autobiography. In ‘281 and beyond’, VVS Laxman has described the former Australia captain as ‘rigid and inflexible.’ Meanwhile, India veteran, Laxman reveals India got divided into two or three fractions under Greg Chappell. Moreover, there remains some trust issue, and also Chappell had his favourites in the team.

Chappell was brusque and abrasive

“The coach had his favourites, who were well looked after, while the others were left to fend for themselves. The team had disintegrated before our eyes,” VVS Laxman writes.

“Greg’s entire stint had been cause for bitterness. He was rigid and inflexible in his approach, and didn’t know how to run an international team. He often seemed to forget that it was the players who played the game and were stars, not the coach,” Laxman notes in the book which he has co-authored with cricket writer R Kaushik.

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The former Indian batsman also lashed out at Chappell and also termed playing under him is the worst phase of his cricketing career. VVS axman holds Greg Chappell for the scenario and even went on to mention he has no respect for the coach.

I can’t respect Greg as the coach – VVS Laxman

“Greg Chappell arrived in India to a groundswell of goodwill and support. He left the team in tatters, having played an influential part in the worst phase of my playing career. Results on the field might suggest that his methods worked to some extent, but those results had nothing to do with our coach,” VVS Laxman asserts.

“He was brusque and abrasive, highly opinionated and rigid in his thinking. His man-management skills were non-existent. He quickly sowed further seeds of discontent in an already diffident team…I will always respect Greg Chappell, the batsman. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for Greg Chappell, the coach,” he recalls.

Meanwhile, the Hyderabadi batsman also opens up about his childhood cricketing days. He also writes about his friendships and camaraderie with Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Mohammad Azharuddin, Virender Sehwag, and Rahul Dravid.

However, VVS Laxman also admitted Dravid had supported him a lot while reaching the milestone of 281 runs at Eden Gardens against Australia in 2001.