Yuvraj backs Chappell's methods

Greg Chappell's rigorous fitness regime might be too taxing for some of the players in the Indian cricket team but it has earned praise from Yuvraj Singh, who said today his teammates were "happy" with the Australian's coaching methods.

"I don't think that Chappell's fitness regime is too harsh," said Yuvraj in an interview with PTI. "All the boys are happy doing it. The fitness level of the team has improved and we are still working on it here. I share a good rapport with the coach and I am happy with him."

Yuvraj added that the row between his captain, Sourav Ganguly, and Chappell had been a distraction, but now the most important thing was for the team-mates to retain a sense of unity.

"It was definitely disappointing and I would be lying if I don't say so. But we have to forget everything and move ahead for the betterment of the game. If I was the captain, I would have talked to the team and asked the players to be together in the present situation."

But Yuvraj had some words of support for his beleaguered captain, saying he had given a chance to many youngsters, and now it was their turn to cooperate with him. "At times, a senior player deserves a chance while youngsters can sit out in view of the contribution by the senior to the team," he said. "There is nothing to feel bad about it."

Yuvraj, who scored 120 in the last league match against Zimbabwe in the tri-series there recently, felt that overall India needed to raise their level against the big teams in one-dayers. About India's dismal performance last year, he said: "we had many good years before that and it was only one bad year. It will pass."

On the personal front, he said having established himself in the one-day internationals, he was now concentrating on cementing his place in the Test side. "My one-day record is OK and now I am working hard for my place in the Tests," Yuvraj said. "Now I play with more responsiblity in the middle order. I try to last till the end of the game."