In keeping with the no-frills coach they desire, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today announced Duncan Fletcher as the man who would take over from Gary Kirsten, without much ado. The former Zimbabwe captain and ex-England coach was given a contract for two years.
Fletcher’s name was approved at the BCCI Working Committee meeting here. Only current president Shashank Manohar and president-elect and secretary N Srinivasan seemed to have known about the choice.
Sources say while the BCCI was keen on hiring current England coach Andy Flower, he was reluctant. Another contender, former New Zealand captain and current Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming, couldn’t make the grade as he lacked enough international experience.
Fletcher comes with great credentials to fill Kirsten’s big boots, having shepherded England to their Ashes win against Australia in 2005, the first time England won the tournament since 1986-87.
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Under Fletcher the England cricket team achieved famous series victories away to Sri Lanka, Pakistan and South Africa between 2000-2004. In 2004 England won an English record 8 consecutive tests, beating New Zealand 3-0 and West Indies 4-0 at home respectively, before winning the first test in South Africa. His most famous and largest achievement however came in September 2005 he became the first coach of the English team to win an Ashes series for 18 years when England secured 2-1 victory over AustraliFletcher received heavy criticism from all quarters after preferring Ashley Giles to Monty Panesar as England's main spinner in the first two Tests of the 2006-07 Ashes series; Giles took three wickets in two Tests, while Panesar, when given the chance in the third Test, took five wickets in the first innings and three wickets in the second innings. Following defeat to Australia by 206 runs in the third test on 18 December 2006 which saw England relinquish the Ashes 15 months after gaining them, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed that Fletcher's position as head coach was under review. Despite a brief reprieve in early 2007 when England won the Commonwealth Bank Series, Fletcher came under increased criticism as England performed poorly in the World Cup, which culminated in a nine wicket loss to South Africa in which the team were booed off the field by England's Barmy Army. It was later announced, on 19 April 2007, that his 8 year tenure as coach was to end following England's final Super 8 match against theWest Indies on Saturday 21 April 2007.In lieu of this winning the Ashes after 18 years, Fletcher was conferred with the OBE. On 13 September 2005 Fletcher was awarded British citizenship after a five year wait. Although both his parents and all his grandparents were ethnically English, i.e., of English/British descent, Fletcher had been denied citizenship by virtue of the fact he spent most of his time abroad - touring with the England team. After the Ashes series win of 2005, the Home Secretary, Charles Clarke, intervened to award Fletcher his long-sought citizenship.[2]
England's test record improved almost as soon as Fletcher took over in 1999, however the fortunes of the one-day side plummeted under Fletcher and ironically the only major success in one day cricket under the Fletcher era came a mere three months before his exit, as England won the Commonwealth Bank Series by defeating Australia early in 2007.
In November 2007 Fletcher confirmed that he was considering a switch to rugby, stating "I'd like to be a rugby consultant. I have some ideas...I love my rugby, I would rather watch rugby than cricket. I'm passionate about it, it's the game I'd like to have been involved in."
On 5 November 2007 Fletcher's autobiography 'Behind The Shades' was published.
In November 2008 it was announced that Fletcher would take on a consultancy role with Hampshire for the 2009 season,[3] days later he took a similar role with the South Africa team ahead of their Test series with Bangladesh and Australia.[4]
Fletcher has been appointed as the coach of the India cricket team on 27 April 2011[5], with a two-year contract. Though the India team resumes International Cricket with a tour of the West Indies in June 2011, he is unlikely to be assume charge till India tour England in late July. Fletcher was one of the leading candidates for appointment as coach of the India national cricket team. [6]. Fletcher bagged the top job in the India national cricket team ahead of names like former New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming and former Zimbabwe skipper Andy Flower. Fletcher is reported to be outgoing India coach Gary Kirsten's recommendation.[7]
