Donald questions subcontinent discipline

May 31: Former South African bowler Allan Donald famously known as white lightening accused subcontinent cricketers for lacking discipline. He said that it is the vulnerable behavior of the players which often results in a rift with their coaches.

Donald regards the post of the Indian coach as the most high profile job in cricket today. He said that India as well as Pakistan teams are loaded with high quality players but still they are not getting the desired results as a team. He believes that it is the player-coach relation which is making them suffer.

The world cup debacle resulted in the bonds break between the Greg Chappell and Indian team. Australian Greg Chappell who guided them for two years till the World Cup, Donald said the players might have had their share of blame. Some of the players and even the coach were accused of leaking reports to the media and that led to a lot of controversy. These things should be avoided.

"From what I have seen, it looked like the Indian players enjoyed Greg Chappell's company, but there were some issues which got blown out of proportion. It could have something to do with the role of the coach as most of the players just want to go their own way and play as they like to," Donald said.

“The Indian and Pakistani players always seem to have some issue or the other with their coaches.�

One should never forget that it is the players at the end of the day who make or break for their team. Coaches can do all but out side the field and If someone says that international players don’t need to be coached then they are very far from the truth.

Donald, who has been appointed as a short-term bowling consultant of the England team, urged the Indians to strike a good rapport with whoever was appointed to guide them in place of Australian Greg Chappell.

I feel India should have a coach along with a fitness trainer and computer analyst. The job of the coach is basically to facilitate. The team must have a coach and his nationality should not matter. The best person available should be chosen for the job and if there is some problem it should be resolved with senior players coming forward.

In South Africa, too, when Bob Woolmer was the coach there were some problems initially, but the seniors backed him and soon everything was settled.

“At the highest level, the coach's word should be taken as final, but it seems that there is a lack of discipline here� he added "For the coach to function smoothly, particularly if he is from some other country, the senior players should back him,".