India board throws Duncan Fletcher’s future as coach into doubt

Duncan Fletcher’s position as India coach has been thrown into doubt following India's 3-1 series loss to England (Getty)

Duncan Fletcher’s position as India coach was further undermined on Monday when the Indian cricket board refused to back him in a row over who is in charge of the one-day squad.

After the recent Test debacle against England, when they lost the series 3-1, former India player Ravi Shastri was appointed team director, claiming he was in charge. Captain M S Dhoni then said that Fletcher still called the shots and would lead them into next year’s World Cup, but the Board for Control for Cricket in India secretary, Sanjay Patel, dismissed Dhoni’s view. “It seemed to me as his personal opinion,” Patel said.

The 33-year-old Dhoni, who leads India in all three formats and captained the side to their 50-over World Cup victory at home in 2011, had told reporters at Bristol: “Definitely he [Fletcher] will lead us into the World Cup. Also he is still the boss.

“We have Ravi [Shastri] who will look into everything, but Duncan Fletcher is the boss. It’s not as if his powers or his position have been curtailed.”