New Delhi: India’s beleaguered cricketers have come under sharp criticism from former players who called for coach Duncan Fletcher’s immediate ouster while questioning Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s captaincy in the Test series against England that culminated with an innings and 244 runs annihilation at the Oval.
The players were critical of Fletcher’s role in the embarassing defeat, saying his contribution was “zero” and it was high time that he be replaced.
“What was Fletcher doing after we won the Lord’s Test on a difficult pitch? This is where he lacked imagination in keeping the lead. Yes, I think Fletcher has to go,” said former captain Ajit Wadekar.
India’s woeful performances touched a new low as they succumbed to their heaviest Test defeat in 40 years in a match that got over well inside three days, gifting away the series to England 3-1.
Regarding Dhoni, Wadekar said, “He changed his technique and batted well. But why he did not change his tactics as captain foxes me. For example not keeping a third man where half the runs were scored. Also in team selection, (Ravichandran) Ashwin should have played from the first Test. Wonder why he did not.”
Former batting great Gundappa Viswanath felt Dhoni often hopes for a miracle to bail his team out of difficult situations.
“I’m not happy with his keeping and captaincy, he’s got his own mind. He always keeps repeating that. He always expects a miracle. Miracles cannot happen all the time. It happens once in a blue moon,” Viswanath told PTI.
Ex-spinner Erapalli Prassana said, “I am categorically saying that Fletcher’s contribution to the team was a big zero.”
Another former captain Kris Srikkanth too felt the same about the under-fire coach. “Fletcher has not contributed anything for the team.”
Former captain Dilip Vengsarkar called for the immediate sacking of coach Duncan Fletcher and other support staff in the wake of India’s humiliating Test series loss to England and came down heavily on captain M S Dhoni for making “glaring mistakes” for which the team paid a heavy price.
Vengsarkar said that Dhoni led the team poorly right through the series with field placings and strategies which defied common sense but there was no one ready to take over the mantle of captaincy.
“Dhoni led the team poorly. His selection policy, strategy, field placing and bowling changes lacked common sense. He made some glaring mistakes match after match for which India paid heavily,” Vengsarkar told Former player Anshuman Gaekwad too, was critical of Fletcher.
“I’ve been a coach in the past and a coach must look into this and rectify. I don’t know what’s wrong. If the coach is telling them it’s not working, then probably the boys are not listening. If that is the case, then what’s the point of having a coach there?
Ex-opener W V Raman said, “Dhoni as a batsman did not put a foot wrong. Okay, he might have made couple of strange choices as far as the final eleven is concerned. What you expect of Dhoni when the batsmen fail to fire and so many chances are put down. Dhoni cannot do anything under such circumstances.”
Wadekar though felt that there is no replacement for Dhoni at the moment.
Srikkanth said the Indian cricketers lacked the willingness to fight it out.
“It’s highly disappointing. I do not think the players were inexperienced as people have been commenting. We have seven eight players who have lost of experience. I think it is lack of willingness to fight and required determination was missing in them.”
Vishwanath said the players did not show character. As far as Fletcher was concerned, he said, “We have to forget about the foreign coach. If we’re not doing well in foreign countries then what’s the point in keeping a foreign coach? (PTI)
