India's newly-appointed coach Duncan Fletcher said he was excited about working with the world champions, the most high-profile job as yet of his professional career.
Published: May 13, 2011, 02:40 PM (IST)
Edited: May 13, 2011, 02:40 PM (IST)
India’s newly-appointed coach Duncan Fletcher, seen here in 2007, said he was excited about working with the world champions, the most high-profile job as yet of his professional career © AFP
Chennai: May 13, 2011
India’s newly-appointed coach Duncan Fletcher said he was excited about working with the world champions, the most high-profile job as yet of his professional career.
The former Zimbabwe all-rounder, who coached England for eight years, also said his approach would be friendly rather than dictatorial, much like his predecessor Gary Kirsten.
“This is new challenge for me,” Fletcher, 62, said in his first formal interaction with the Indian media. “I had a bit of advice from Kirsten and bowling coach Eric Simmons. I had another chat with (India’s) skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. It is a very exciting job, coaching the world champion team. It’s a high profile job.”
Fletcher took over one of the biggest jobs in world cricket last month, ahead of India’s tour of the West Indies in June, which is followed by an important tour of England from July to September.
“There will not be any major changes in my plans prepared for the team. I had watched the Indian team’s performance in South Africa and the World Cup. But I will make my observations after being present physically with the Indian team and then perhaps I can make some changes, if necessary,” he said.
“I am in a place where one cannot have a dictatorial role.”
Fletcher, who helped England regain the Ashes in 2005, said he was banking on his past knowledge of sub-continent conditions to excel in his new role. “In sub-continent conditions, I have had fairly good results in the past with back-to-back series wins in Pakistan and Sri Lanka,” he said.
India, the World Cup winners, are also ranked number one in Test cricket.
© AFP
