An aspiring minds needs to be mentored and guided by experience. Duncan Fletcher must take care of explosive Indian young talents both on and off the field for better future of Indian team.
Duncan Fletcher – Indian Cricket Team Coach
Sometimes the life in world is such that good things are never given credits but bad ones are criticized to maximum. Somehow whether it is good planning on BCCI part or Indian seniors played their role to perfection, Indian team in last 12 years had the right man they wanted both on and off the field.
When the team was down and out in 1999, India had captain like Ganguly to inspire the team to fight with his aggressive and “never say no” attitude. When the team was doing very well and captain Ganguly struggling with his own form, they needed someone to lead from front with his own performance and they got Dravid to do the job. Following Dravid retirement prior to the tour of down under, India wanted captain like Kumble who can keep the team under control with his discipline and determination on the most violent (aggressive) cricket playing nation land. With the team enjoying success in all parts of the world, the expectations on team India to win increased higher than ever. Fittingly India got cool but aggressive minded captain in the name of Dhoni who handles the pressure well as such that it doesn’t affect other 10 players on the field.
Similarly, India had right coaches starting from Wright to Fletcher at present. Wright bought the team much needed tactical and team-binding ability from New Zealand, then Greg laid down the method required to become top team in the world when the team was actually challenging to become No. 1, then Gary Kristen played the role of unsung hero perfectly ( that is the nature of RSA cricket, isn’t?) to get the best out of best that took the team India to top of the world and now Fletcher who built a national team (which is now the No. 1 team in the world) solely on his individual brilliance to take care of India’s transition successfully.
There is no better and experienced coach than Fletcher that can handle the pressure of India’s expectation as well as make the transition phase successful. He is man of few words to the outer world because he burst his energy out in training sessions. When few players say Fletcher is good, you can have doubts in minds whether he will succeed or not but when almost all great players pouring credits on him and his ability, then you better wait for some time before casting any doubt on him. If Tendulkar can defy the odds of age, then why can’t Fletcher? India needed a coach like him who can tell youngsters that this is the right way to success and only a man of his statue can make youngsters obey the orders.
The next generation of Indian players all has got great talents but in world of money and glamour they can be easily derailed out of their success path. For Kohli’s, Raina’s, Ishant’s and others, they need someone to make them visualize the hazards when going in wrong way and visualize the better to continue going in right way. Fletcher may not be able to correct the flaws in those players technique but he will find ways to make them get around that and succeed. Nasser Hussain, one of the captains of English team during Fletcher tenure as coach told that only thing he did when Fletcher asked is say “yes” to him. The reason he told for his reactions is even more amazing since it reflects the ability of Fletcher, “He is right in his decision to pick Trescothick, Vaughan and Flintoff out of nowhere. So, he will be right in this also”.
These are early days for Fletcher with Indian team but surely at the end of his two years time he would have finished the job that was given for him to do successfully. He is an old school boy who strongly emphasis on discipline, hard work and teamwork which are ultimately what Indian youngsters need to be taught/told when the money and fame waiting to pull their legs down all the time. It is nothing wrong for Fletcher to take dictatorship role, if it makes sure Indian youngster are kept on the right path. It will take time for Fletcher to succeed but it is worth a wait especially when it will last for longer.
The success achieved after years of work will last for decades to come.
Tags: BCCI, Coach, Cricket, Duncan Fletcher, India, Indian Team
