Patel says BCCI has no plans to remove Fletcher as of now
The BCCI on Friday made it clear that under-fire coach of the Indian team Duncan Fletcher has its “full backing and support” and there was no immediate plans to remove him despite calls for his ouster from batting icon like Sunil Gavaskar.
Fletcher was summoned by the BCCI chief N Srinivasan for a meeting on Thursday to discuss the team’s sagging performances of late but no warning was given to him that his job was on line. “let me set the record straight. Duncan Fletcher has the wholehearted backing and support of BCCI. There has been no discussion on his removal. We told him that we have a lot of faith in his coaching abilities and he should not be worried about anything else”, BCCI Secretary Sanjay Patel said over phone from Chennai.
“There is no truth in reports that Fletcher was given a warning by the president (Srinivasan),” Patel, who was present at the meeting, said.
Fletcher’s trip to Chennai a day before the team’s departure to Bangladesh gave rise to speculation about BCCI boss making it clear that the board was not happy with his performance after India lost back-to-back Test and ODI series in South Africa and New Zealand. Fletcher’s one year contract extension ends on March 31 this year.
“Many people are not aware that BCCI routinely holds meeting with the coach and the support staff after each and every tour. This is an age-old norm. This meeting would have also been held at the Cricket Centre in Mumbai but our president had a cataract operation and was unable to travel. That’s why, I also flew down to Chennai for this meeting,” Patel said.