The right missive for Chappell

Rohit Brijnath's `Greg, Tone It Down' (Sportstar, dated March 11) should be read by Greg Chappell first! The comment is a true reflection of the thoughts of many cricket lovers on the Ganguly issue. It is unfortunate that Chappell is trying to keep the Ganguly controversy alive with his unnecessary remarks on the former captain.

Chappell, in one of his interviews to Sportstar after his appointment as India's coach, said he would not talk to his players through the media. But now he is doing just that, and in the process whipping up controversies that might have a negative impact on Indian cricket.

P. Krishna, Chennai.A code for coaches

Rohit Brijnath, in his open letter to Greg Chappell, has minced no words in condemning the Indian coach's ways. A very strong and a timely letter, indeed. One hopes that from now on Greg will maintain discipline. As the writer has said, Sourav is our most successful captain and Greg's utterances have hurt India's cricket fans.

India's coaches in the past, including John Wright, have been disciplined. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has to draw a code of conduct for the coaches too.

P. Kannan, Srivilliputtur (TN).Focus on local umpires, please

With reference to the column `Hike For Umpires' (Sportstar, dated February 18), I welcome suggestions for raising the umpires' fees and encouraging ex-Ranji players to take up umpiring. But as far as the umpiring exam is concerned, ironically it has been conducted only thrice since 1980. The BCCI has not taken any initiative to upgrade the umpiring talent. It should conduct the Ranji exams for all the umpires, irrespective of their status. If the Board conducts exams only for players it will be doing injustice to the other local umpires, who have been serving their respective associations for a number of years.

Umpiring is not a joke. Even ex-players have been facing difficulty in standing for up to six hours at a stretch. Playing cricket and officiating in a match are two different things. How many players in the recent past have taken up umpiring? Most of them have turned to coaching and commentating.

It is wrong to assume cricketers make good umpires. If there are no promotion tests for local umpires, both cricket and the cricketers will suffer at the grass root level itself.

Suhas Sapre, Baroda.Hail, Pujara

By putting an inset of Cheteshwar Pujara, the young Indian batsman who made waves in the Under-19 World Cup, on your cover (March 4, 2006), you have educated the cricket followers of this country about the vast potential we have at the grassroot level.

India's cricket pundits may now take a closer look at him, which could eventually lead to Pujara getting a break in the big league. Keep it up!

Duke Jeyaraj, Hyderabad