Greg Chappell's resignation drew mixed response from the cricket fraternity, which is polarised in its opinion about the controversial Australian while BCCI meets on Friday to chalk out future of Indian cricket and in World Cup.
A number of former players, some of whom have played against the former Australian captain, apparently sided with Chappell even though he did not seem popular with others.
Former captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth was unequivocal in his view that Chappell had failed to perform as the coach and his resignation was the lone option left.
"Form what we can gather, it looks like he was trying to dictate. It is unfortunate what we are hearing, that he was trying to divide the team. He will not be remembered in Indian cricket because he has not contributed anything.
"(Chappell's predecessor) John Wright will be remebered more because he has given something to the team. Everything has slipped back since Chappell took over," he said.
Srikkanth felt Chappell succumbed to the same perform-or-perish mantra, which he advocated as a coach.
"It was his philosophy that you perform or perish. He has not perfromed and he has perished.
"He is such a great cricketer and batsman and that's why he was trying to force himself and thought he has everyright to do whatever he wanted," the former opener said.
Former chief selector Kiran More, however, begged to differ.
"Chappell is straightforward and an upfront man. And people in India don't like that. He would say it on the face and we don't want to hear that. There is a lot of pressure in players and coach now because of the media," said More, during whose tenure Chappell allegedly got a lot of free-hand.
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