Harbhajan Singh calls Greg Chappell era darkest chapter in Indian cricket, accuses former coach of divide-and-rule policy that broke team unity before 2007 World Cup.
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Harbhajan Singh calls Greg Chappell era one of the darkest chapters in Indian cricket (Photo: X)
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has once again spoken about the difficult period Indian cricket went through under former head coach Greg ChappellHarbhajan accused the Australian of creating divisions among players and damaging the team’s unity during his time in charge.
Speaking on the Prakhar Gupta Podcast, the former off-spinner described Chappell’s tenure as one of the darkest periods in Indian cricketHe also questioned the decision to appoint the Australian as head coach, claiming that his approach created problems inside the dressing room.
Harbhajan Singh calls Chappell era one of India’s darkest periods
Chappell took charge of the Indian team in June 2005, following India’s run to the 2003 ODI World Cup final, where they lost to AustraliaHis appointment had raised expectations, with fans hoping he would help a talented team take the next step.
However, his time as coach became controversial, particularly because of his reported differences with then-captain Sourav Ganguly and other senior playersHarbhajan believes the team’s atmosphere changed significantly during that period.
“The way Chappell behaved with Dada (Ganguly), and whatever he did with the Indian team during those days, it was one of the darkest and worst chapters in the history of Indian cricketAppointing him as head coach was one of the worst decisions made by the Indian managementHe implemented a divide-and-rule policy, where he made the players fight among themselves while acting as the ruler,” said Harbhajan.
Harbhajan says team unity was damaged
Harbhajan also recalled how closely the Indian players had bonded during their successful run to the 2003 World Cup finalAccording to him, relationships within the squad suffered during Chappell’s tenure, leaving teammates who had once shared a strong connection struggling to communicate.
“He spoiled the entire teamThe players who played together in the 2003 ODI World Cup and shared such great bonding were no longer talking to each otherOur team was one of the strongest and most closely-knit teams, and he literally broke it apart,” he added.
The former spinner’s comments have brought attention back to a period when disagreements between the coach, captain and senior players became a major talking point in Indian cricket.
Harbhajan raises questions over 2007 World Cup exit
India’s campaign at the 2007 ODI World Cup ended in disappointment, with the team knocked out in the group stage after defeats against Bangladesh and Sri LankaIndia had reached the final in 2003 but failed to progress beyond the first round four years later.
Harbhajan suggested that divisions within the team may have affected its performances, although he presented this as his own view.
“In my opinion, Chappell’s main strategy was something elseIn those days, India were the only team that consistently challenged AustraliaIt’s possible that he tried to divide us so that we couldn’t play as a united team on the field and would eventually lose matchesThe same thing happened during the 2007 World Cup,” he said.
Chappell’s tenure ended after the 2007 World Cup, and the episode remains a controversial chapter in Indian cricketHarbhajan’s latest remarks have once again revived the debate over the impact of the former coach’s methods on the team.
