Chappell defends use of four bowlers
St Kitts, June 20: Coach Greg Chappell dismissed criticism that India erred by going into the first two Tests against the West Indies with four bowlers, saying the team needed to make big scores on the benign tracks that were dished out in order to put pressure on the opposition. The Australian also rubbished suggestion that the team management was trying to strengthen its batting at the cost of bowling.
"We're not 2-0 up so there is no point moaning about it. You can be disappointed and all those things but it is not going to help us. We played four bowlers because it was horses-for-courses kind of situation," Chappell said. "We didn't want to protect batting. We needed to make big scores and we made it. We thought on those wickets that was our best chance to put pressure on the opposition. The way to do it is to put big scores," he said after nets here yesterday.
Chappell defended his young bowlers who failed to take 20 wickets in both the Tests. "Everyone is looking at our bowlers and saying we haven't done this or we haven't done that. What we have done is to win nearly two Test matches. You've got to look at what the West Indian bowlers have done.
"Talking to Lara the other night, he was very complimentary about our bowlers. He thought under the circumstances our bowlers did everything they could have done. It was a very good feedback for us." Chappell gave a clean chit to Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth on fitness count and defended the lean patch of VVS Laxman and Yuvraj Singh. (Agencies)
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