Duncan Fletcher's changing India can still spring a surprise

[rkt.india]

ny way you look at it, Duncan Fletcher's coaching record with India is a catalogue of underachievement. Only eight of 22 Tests have been won. The 10 defeats include six to England, the team that briefly replaced them at the top of the Test rankings. In coloured clothes, things are slightly better, with 25 one-day international wins, from 44 played, and nine Twenty20 successes, from 17 games. But even in the abbreviated formats, India have slipped on the big occasions, failing to qualify for the Asia Cup final and not getting past the Super Eights at the World Twenty20. The decision to extend Fletcher's contract by a year has not gone down well. Sunil Gavaskar reckoned that a home-grown coach would not have been given such leeway. "If he were an Indian, probably he would not have got an extension," he said. "If you look at the past, every time an Indian coach didn't do well in a series, he was removed." Bishan Singh Bedi, a key member of the legendary 1970s spin quartet, who also coached India in the early 1990s, was far less diplomatic about the move by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). "It's their money, if they want to blow it, let them," he said to Wisden India. "Fletcher can't do anything with the Indian team. Gary Kirsten did well because the players did well. Now, the team isn't doing well. The team makes the coach what he is. Have an Indian as the coach, who will be more passionate about the cause." Fletcher's critics as well as admirers now accept that he likely will be around to supervise India's defence of the 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2015. The chances of him being replaced less than 12 months before that begins are remote. There are few coaches out there who would accept such a taxing assignment at short notice. The team has seen wholesale changes over the past year. Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman have retired. Zaheer Khan, Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag have been dropped. Harbhajan Singh has been recalled, dropped, recalled and dropped again. Younger players like Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan have shone with the bat, while Ravindra Jadeja has been a real threat with his left-arm spin. The higher echelons of the BCCI clearly feel that Fletcher is the right man to preside over the transition. Sachin Tendulkar alone remains of a storied batting line-up, and India's next Test assignments are in South Africa, against the most formidable side in the world. Those are also conditions very familiar to Fletcher, who has been settled in Cape Town for years. Kirsten, who now coaches South Africa, considered him a mentor, and he has also worked with the likes of Jacques Kallis. If Fletcher can identify a couple of promising pace bowlers to supplement Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav before that tour, this team could yet be capable of a surprise or two. Read more: http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/sport-comment/duncan-fletchers-changing-india-can-still-spring-a-surprise#ixzz2NnenmRma Follow us: @TheNationalUAE on Twitter | thenational.ae on Facebook

I think Fletcher has identified those pacers in bowlers camp at NCA but strict no for Ishant with the way he has been bowling with the new ball.

[I6MTW]

India has a variety of new fast bowlers to chose from. The waiting list is huge.

[Straight Drive]

England team performed well in test format under him than they did in the Odi format. For India, it seems to be the reverse.

[rkt.india]

India has a variety of new fast bowlers to chose from. The waiting list is huge.

It does not mean they are all good.

[FischerTal]

I think Fletcher has identified those pacers in bowlers camp at NCA but strict no for Ishant with the way he has been bowling with the new ball.

so Ishant is a confirmed no for South Africa?

[rkt.india]

so Ishant is a confirmed no for South Africa?

Not confirmed, but they have identified a few bowlers. Personally, I would not want him in SA seeing his performance with new ball. New ball is the most important thing in SA and we need bowlers who can swing the new ball there. Ishant cannot swing the new ball.

[vamos_rafa]

It's all too rosy a situation that the OP has painted. I don't think it's going to be this easy.

[FischerTal]

Not confirmed' date=' but they have identified a few bowlers. Personally, I would not want him in SA seeing his performance with new ball. New ball is the most important thing in SA and we need bowlers who can swing the new ball there. Ishant cannot swing the new ball.[/quote'] hmm do you have any idea who swung the ball best in the NCA camp? Even if they are as fast as Bhuvi, we should take them over that 6'4 waste of human being

[Crookbond]

Hayden on commentary was pointing out that Joe Dawes is working hard on Ishant's wrist position. he knows him since his days at Queensland.

[Texan]

Yeah, Duncan Fletcher can still bring about a surprise..... losing all Tests in SA by huge innings losses :nervous:

[Lord]

Hayden on commentary was pointing out that Joe Dawes is working hard on Ishant's wrist position. he knows him since his days at Queensland.

we have hearing that since Pak series but hardly any result

[Number]

Yeah' date=' Duncan Fletcher can still bring about a surprise..... losing all Tests in SA by huge innings losses :nervous:[/quote'] Won't be a surprise at all. :giggle:

[I6MTW]

Am I the only one who thinks we might do well in SA? Seriously I expect a positive result there and I wouldn't be surprised if we whitewash there. I'm expecting something big.

[Junyfan]

no chance in reality,there was a chance in australia.

[philcric]

I'm expecting something big.

[vvvslaxman]

It does not mean they are all good.

+2 :hysterical:

[Texan]

ROFLOL! :hysterical::haha::biggrin::lmao::agree:

[rkt.india]

hmm do you have any idea who swung the ball best in the NCA camp? Even if they are as fast as Bhuvi' date=' we should take them over that 6'4 waste of human being[/quote'] Most bowlers in camp can swing the ball but it i snot just about swing. They are looking at a combination with swing and pacey bowlers combined. BK as swing a bowler will definitely be there if fit. Other than him Shami who is capable of getting good results on SA pitches as he can move the ball both ways not as much as BK but at a quicker pace. Umesh is a certainty if fit. So, BK, Umesh and Shami are almost certainties. Ishant, Sreesanth, Dinda, Awana have been around the test team so one or two of them can make it too. Zak's inclusion depends on his fit, but we should also have a standby ready if we pick him. There are two wild card who not yet been chosen for Indian team are Mohit Sharma who was impressive and the quickest bowler in the camp consistently in 140s and left armer Shrikant Wagh because his ability to swing the ball at decent pace and also handy with the bat. Motu coach is impressed with Wagh.

[Trundler27]

Sandeep :viking: warrier bhi to hai

[Pagalpanti]

Fletcher needn't spot for new pacers After watching BK in this series and how PK did well in England. Having them 2 bowl in tandem we could have the 2 Kumars (ala 2 W's of Pak) wreaking havoc!!