CHAPPEL QUITS COACHING INDIA

Australian cricketing great Greg Chappell has handed in his resignation as coach of the Indian cricket team, two days before the Indian cricket board (BCCI) meet to analyse the team's poor World Cup performance in the Caribbean.

"Today I informed the president of the BCCI that I would not seek an extension to my contract to coach the Indian cricket team for family and personal reasons," Chappell said in a statement.

The Australian's two-year contract was due to run out at the end of April.

Chappell, 58, took up the post in 2005 with an eye on success at this year's World Cup, but India suffered a first-round exit last month at the showpiece event in the Caribbean, losing to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Chappell's tenure with India has yielded mixed results since taking over in May 2005 from New Zealand's John Wright, who served as India's first foreign coach for almost five years.

A 1-0 Test series victory last year in the Caribbean - their first in 35 years - was one of the high points.

But the failure to qualify for the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy as hosts last year and the disappointment of a first-round exit from the World Cup has not gone down well with cricket-crazy India.

India notched a record 17 consecutive one-day victories when batting second under his reign, but the team's inability to perform away from home saw it end with a record of 32 wins against 27 defeats, with three no-results.

Chappell's relationships within the dressing room were bumpy, too, with his public spat with skipper Saurav Ganguly just months into his job leading to the Bengal left-hander's axing.

Ganguly later returned and was one of India's few successes at the World Cup.

Leading India batsman Sachin Tendulkar also reacted angrily that Chappell had questioned the attitude of senior players at the World Cup and his comments set off a national debate.

-Reuters