Chappell travels from middle-finger to thumbs-up

Kolkata, Feb 7 (UNI) From the infamous 'middle-finger' to 'thumbs-up' cricket and Kolkata has witnessed it all. But will another controversy gain life elsewhere, only time will tell.

Imagine being Mr Greg Chappell at Eden Gardens.

The memories of November 2005 must still be vivid, when the India coach had turned villain. The infamous 'finger episode' followed, which made Mr Chappell even more unpopular in a city where the 'so-called cricket lovers' took it upon themselves to punish the one they believed had brought about the downfall of their idol Sourav Ganguly.

Cut to 2007. The tough time has gone by and Ganguly, India's most successful captain, is back in the team. The man has once again conquered the ghosts of a poor form within and his detractors outside to make his way back and in style-regale.

He has claimed that the rather open hostilities between him and Mr Chappell are over.

But have his fans at home forgiven the man they believed to be his nemesis? Yes, it was a big 'thumbs-up' for the Aussie as he landed at the airport, at the hotel lobby and at the Eden Gardens.

At Eden Gardens, ahead of tomorrow's India-Sri Lanka series opener, as Mr Chappell guided the Indian players through their paces at nets, the crowd watched patiently. And as he came off the ground, surrounded by security men, he even responded to cries of ''Hi, Chappell'' and ''Welcome Chappell'' with a rather shaky wave.

People clapped, obviously all was forgiven and forgotten. The finger, hopefully, will not be raised for the wrong reason again.

UNI