Do paisa!

Recriminations in full swing in Old Blighty - Richard Hobson, Christopher Martin-Jenkins, Mark Nicholas, Mike Selvey, Lawrence Booth,Andy Bull, Lawrence Booth ( again), Stephen Brenkley, Angus Fraser, Derek Pringle, Paul Nixon and Simon Hughes. chime in.

This sets up the English summer nicely - three teams; two with possible new captains, all three with possible new coaches, all three struggling to put their house in order after a dismal World Cup. Should be fun!
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Bob Simpson on coaching in India, with a little Chappell thrown in. And older article - here.

Here is a thought - The Australian selection committee that oversaw the Australian renaissance comprised of Lawrie Sawle, Greg Chappell and John Benaud.

Lawrie Sawle, per Bob Simpson, was the fairest Chairman of Selectors he knew. John Benaud is amongst one of the foremost thinkers of the game ( see here, here , here , here, here and here).Geg Chappell is a brilliant skills coach.

Despite this setup, and Bob Simpson as coach, Australia still managed to toss around the Baggy Green to all and sundry.So, it was not as if the whole turn around was planned to a T.

Factor in the rebel tour of 1985 and the question that begs to be asked is - to what extent were the selectors hands forced - to pick a young squad and stick to them?

So to what extent was Greg Chappell influential in the Australian turnaround and the next time the "Greg was selector when Oz turned it around" come around, can we temper it a little?

Also, what are the lessons India can learn from the Australia ( wrt selection and criticism and everything in between)?

PS :- Now that I think about it- here are some parallels - with my favorite cricket team Mumbai. Who started the season without any of the Team India players or Vinod Kambli or Vineet Indulkar.

They may not have faced a rebel tour, but losing Karsan Ghavri, Sairaj Bahutule and Nitish Shetty's retirement mid-season comes close.

Not quite Kim Hughes, but Nilesh Kulkarni had to make way for Amol Muzumdar.

Like Chappell, Dilip Vengsarkar idominates conversations on Mumbai's turnaround on account of being the Chairman of the Selection Committee, but what of Abey Kuruvilla, Milind Rege and the other selectors?

New coach, new captain, young team, turnaround. Lessons anyone?
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Sponsor deals angers players - in Australia.

Who controls the players more? The Board of Control for Cricket in India or the sports managers/agents? Vijay Lokapally on what the BCCI and sports managers say.

Mo Money Mo Problems!!!!

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The latest installment of Graeme Smith's Diary is available :)