The suspense is finally over and the news is out. Former Zimbabwe captain Duncan Fletcher has been appointed as the coach of the Indian cricket team for the West Indies tour. Fletcher has often been hailed as the man who brought life to English cricket by bringing them from the bottom of the test rankings to world beaters. Now, he has the challenge of ensuring the world’s no.1 test team stay as the best team in the years to come @import url(“http://stcjp.msn.com/br/csl/css/23AA27A79E3687063673C2CD56F30E46/twtutility.css”);
Mumbai: Duncan Fletcher has been appointed India’s cricket coach to replace the highly successful Gary Kirsten, ending weeks of suspense on who will take over the high-profile job. The 62-year-old Zimbabwean, a coached England with mixed results from 1999 to 2007, will take over the job for a two-year period.
The decision to appoint Fletcher, whose name was doing the rounds as a possible successor to Kirsten, was taken at the BCCI’s working committee meeting here. The announcement came as a surprise as the BCCI had given no indication that it would name the coach today itself.
“The contract with Fletcher is for two years. He may not join the team in the West Indies as he has some prior commitments,” BCCI Secretary N Srinivasan told reporters after the meeting.
Eric Simmons, who was the bowling coach during Kirsten’s tenure, will continue in the same position, Srinivasan said. Fletcher, who captained Zimbabwe during the 1983 World Cup and played just six one-dayers during the African nation’s pre-Test days, had mixed fortunes as coach for England.
The high points of his career was England’s Ashes triumph over Australia in the home series of 2005, England’s first series win in West Indies in 36 years and taking England to the third spot in Test rankings.
Don’t know a whole lot about him, but I do know that he has a more abrasive/brusque personality than Kirsten. That is something that he would probably need to tone down to succeed with Team India.
If Kirsten wanted to couch any country outside of SA.. he would continue with India.. its been a great run, the players respect and honour him so much and im sure the money is unbelievable.. he just wanted to spend time with his family at home with young kids...totally understandable..
Regarding Fletcher. he will have to tone down his attitude a little I feel.. a behind the curtain coach attitude like Kirsten is required..
babloos.. i HIGHLY doubt that fletcher is just going to sit around and DHONI will make all the decisions.. knowing fletcher he will want to be up there with the decision making.. the only way this will work is if fletcher modifies his style.. he might just be a smart enough man to do that.. but if not then it will cause issues i feel.. if not with dhoni then with other indian players..
main reason being that.. given how well a personality like kirsten has worked with the indian team we need something similar.. not somebody loud or egoistic or loud in the media...
besides that as ehsan said he is just a mediocre coach at best..
I fail to understand what special he brings to the table that got him the Job ...... he seems to me a step backward ..... As Sharaabee said he's too loud/egoistic for the Post ..... Let's c coz the last such guy was G. Chappel
The media is reporting that there were only two other contenders in the running - Andy Flower got a sweet deal from ECB and decided to stay and Stephen Fleming was not interested in the job. So Fletcher, who I am sure was not the first choice, was the only one left.
main reason being that.. given how well a personality like kirsten has worked with the indian team we need something similar.. not somebody loud or egoistic or loud in the media...
besides that as ehsan said he is just a mediocre coach at best..
