Date:11/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/11/stories/2008031155491800.htm

Sport - Cricket

India did well in Australia: Chappell

Special Correspondent

— PHOTO: S.R. Raghunathan

Greg Chappell.

CHENNAI: After a warm afternoon spent surveying over 200 young hopefuls at the SPIC-YMCA ground, Greg Chappell spoke of the increasing importance of finding and developing cricketers for a rapidly evolving game.

The former Australian great, who had a turbulent tenure as the Indian coach, was in the city on Monday to shortlist players for the Reebok Cricket Star Twenty20, a talent hunt and reality show.

Twenty-four cricketers selected from seven centres across India will participate in a ten-day camp under Chappell at the Rajasthan Cricket Academy in late March.

One of them will receive a chance to join the Jaipur franchise, the Rajasthan Royals, in the Indian Premier League.

“We are looking for cricketers of the future,” said Chappell. “The demands are greater. We need boys who are strong, athletic, adaptable, and have the right thinking. We are looking for raw talent, talent that is precocious, that enjoys showing off in the limelight.”

Did he find any in Chennai?

“We have selected about seven,” said Chappell. “There’s tremendous enthusiasm, one boy today travelled 400 km to get here. What we have found across the board, and this is the third city we have come to, is that there is a lot of good talent, all at about the same level. But, there is no stand-out talent, no extraordinary talent.”

Chappell refused to be drawn into commenting on contemporary issues, although he did say that India had performed well in Australia and that the IPL was “interesting and exciting.”