Onkar Singh in Delhi 

New Delhi, Jun 15: Former Board of Control for Cricket in India president Raj Singh Dungarpur believes that all the hype attached to acquiring a coach for Team India is a humbug. More than anything, he says, the team needs an elder brother who has played considerable cricket; one who can walk up to the players and talk to them.

"At this age you cannot improve their [the players'] style of batting or bowling, because they have already matured. The team needs a man of cricketing stature, one who can walk up to Sachin Tendulkar [Images] and say, 'Beta yeh kya kar rahe ho', or tell [Virender] Sehwag firmly that he should not play a particular stroke," Dungarpur told rediff.com.

He expressed satisfaction with the selection of Chandu Borde as manager for the upcoming twin tour of England [Images] and Ireland, saying his experience will help the team.

'As he toured England twice as a member of India's Test squad, he will have an idea of the conditions there," he said.

Though BCCI officials don't agree that the Graham Ford episode was a big embarrassment, Dungarpur averred that the Board's claim that the South African reneged after accepting the job is far from the truth.

"It [Ford's refusal] came as a huge embarrassment for the BCCI, because Ford went back to England only to decline the offer after Kent [County Club] refused to release him for the new assignment. I think the Board jumped the gun," he said.

Dungarpur wanted to know where was the hurry in announcing Ford's appointment as Team India coach without all the formalities being completed.

"This has caused a loss of face to the richest Board in the world," he said.