There are many high-profile coaching jobs in sport but none carries with it quite the pressure of coaching a subcontinental cricket team.

Dileep Premachandran in Jamaica18-Mar-2007

‘It’s a stressful job at the best of times’ © Getty Images
We were sitting down to lunch after the depressing trip to the UniversityHospital when a man came by and asked: “Da coach who die? He Pakistancoach now?” When we said yes, he shook his head sadly, dreads blowing inthe breeze. ‘Maybe he take it to heart?” he said. “Even da biggest teamcan lose to little team, man. It a game, and da ball round.”As you listened to him, you could only wish that fans back home in Indiaand Pakistan were possessed of such common sense or perspective on life.On waking up in the morning and checking mail, the first thing I had seenwas an AFP report from India that spoke of angry mobs attacking a housethat Mahendra Singh Dhoni was constructing in Ranchi. The story also wenton to speak of armed guards protecting the houses of Rahul Dravid, AnilKumble, Virender Sehwag and others.It was as depressing as it was predictable. Even before Bangladesh hadscored the 192 runs required to defeat India at Queen’s Park Oval,Cricinfo had received feedback from so-called fans who wished to burnDravid’s house. A few hours later, Pakistani “fans” were out in thestreets of Multan demanding that Inzamam-ul-Haq and Bob Woolmer bearrested.In such a climate, it should surprise no one when the pressure proves toomuch to take. While chatting to Greg Chappell recently, I had asked him ifhe’d have fancied playing cricket in this day and age and whether hethought the moderns got as much pleasure from the game as his generationhad. “I’m sure they enjoy it, but it’s more of a job now than it everwas,” he said. “And it takes a toll on you, the relentless touring and thehectic schedules.”Chappell knows more than most about the volatile nature of thesubcontinent’s cricket-watching public. Recently, a deranged fan assaultedhim when the team arrived for a match in Cuttack, and though he chose notto make a song and dance of it, it was clear that physical danger was farmore than he’d bargained for when he took the job. Greg Chappell is in no doubt that the stakes are far higher in South Asia than they are elsewhere. “I’d say so. It’s definitely more under the spotlight than in other countries. The expectations are far higher. But in the light of this tragic event, I think we need to take pause and make sure that we don’t get too stressed about what is after all only a game. Chappell was understandably subdued when Cricinfo talked to him followingWoolmer’s sad demise. “It’s very sad news,” he said, having played againstWoolmer in a few Ashes Test in the 1970s. ‘It’s a stressful job at thebest of times. There’s a great deal of emotional involvement. You have tobe passionate about it if you want to do the job well.”There are many high-profile coaching jobs in sport – the Real Madridhot-seat in football and the management of the New York Yankees to namejust two, but none carries with it quite the pressure of coaching asubcontinental cricket team. Chappell is in no doubt that the stakes arefar higher in South Asia than they are elsewhere. “I’d say so. It’sdefinitely more under the spotlight than in other countries.”The expectations are far higher. But in the light of this tragic event, Ithink we need to take pause and make sure that we don’t get too stressedabout what is after all only a game.”Enough said, though the effigy-burners will be too consumed with hatred tounderstand.