Chappell is the right choice: Imran

Describing Greg Chappell as "a good captain and a great cricketer," former Pakistan skipper Imran Khan has backed his selection as India's new coach ahead of any domestic player.

"I am not a great believer in coaches but if a person of great calibre like Chappell is selected, it makes a difference," Khan told visiting Indian journalists on the sidelines of a dinner hosted by Indian High Commissioner Shivshankar Menon in honour of Leader of Opposition L K Advani in Islamabad on Wednesday night.

"He is a good captain and a great cricketer. As far as other coaches are concerned, it's okay to have your own coaches", he said.

Asked whether former Pakistan captain and left-arm seamer Wasim Akram would be an ideal choice if India go for a bowling coach, Imran said, "it is for Wasim to decide but what I am trying to say is that there is too much emphasis on coaches."

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On Sachin Tendulkar, who would be out of action for almost four months after undergoing a surgery for an elbow injury in London recently, he said, "I think he has quite a lot of cricket left in him."

Imran also came down heavily on the Pakistan selectors for ignoring Shoaib Akhtar for the tour of the West Indies.

"I always thought it was a blunder. The Pakistani team had overestimated itself. One should never underestimate one's rivals. You discipline a player on the tour and not by keeping him out of a tour".

As for the Pakistan players involving in a fracas during the first Test in Barbados, Imran said such things happen on every tour and they get reported when you lose.