Chappell used media to communicate to players: Shah

Mumbai: Former India coach Greg Chappell's new role as assistant coach of the Australian cricket team is causing quite a stir ahead of the four-Test series, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India says it has no issues with the former Aussie captain.

"We have no issues with his new role. He's no longer with us," said BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah, who is to step down after completing his term at the two-day AGM here on September 27-28.

Chappell has recently taken over as the chief of Cricket Australia's Centre of Excellence and has come to India to prepare Ricky Ponting and his men for the rigours of the four-Test series against the hosts.

Shah said Chappell's tenure as India coach turned stormy because he chose to communicate with the players not directly but through the media.

"The media interest in cricket in India is so much that Chappell started falling for that. Rather than talking to the players directly he was seen communicating to the players through the media," the outgoing BCCI office-bearer said.

Chappell's controversial tenure, during the course of which he took on seniors like Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar, ended dramatically in the aftermath of the Indian team's miserable show in the 2007 World Cup.

Shah, while saying that a coach need not necessarily be low-profile, explained he should be like a father figure to the players and restrict airing his views to the media.

"I don't say the coach should be essentially low-profile in his approach. But he should be like a father figure to the players. It's also essential he restrict airing his views in the media. Then he will earn the respect of the players," Shah felt.

The BCCI official said that this was precisely the reason the board stepped in when current coach Gary Kirsten recently aired his views about Mahendra Singh Dhoni's captaincy to the media.

"We have always tried to restrict new coach Gary (of his interactions with the media) when required. What he wants to say and what the media projects cannot be controlled. Later all the answers (to the issues raised) have to be given by the BCCI," he said on the issue