Ajit Wadekar: 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. Dhoni changed his technique and batted well. But why he did not change his tactics as captain baffles me. For example, not keeping a third man where half the runs were scored. Also in team selection, Ashwin should have played from the first Test. I will retain Dhoni as captain for Tests as I don’t see anyone who can take over at the moment.
G.R. Viswanath: I’m not happy with Dhoni’s 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. The whole Indian team is collapsing. Having brought glory, we know what Indian cricket is all about. I’m really worried about it. We cannot remove MS now, he’s the right and experienced man to lead up front. If not MS then who will captain the side? Virat cannot lead now.
Dilip Vengsarkar: 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. Unfortunately for him and India, he had Fletcher as the coach who, it seems, is devoid of any ideas and has no clue as to how to turn things around. He, it seems, hardly motivated the young team. The support staff and the think tank really let down the team very badly. I hope the BCCI sacks them immediately unless they go once again by what the senior players in the team feel about them. We just haven’t groomed players for different slots.
Kris Srikkanth: Fletcher has not contributed anything for the team. It's highly disappointing. I do not think the players were inexperienced as people have been commenting. We have seven eight players who have lots of experience. I think it is lack of willingness to fight and required determination was missing in them.
W.V. Raman: Dhoni as a batsman did not put a foot wrong. He might have made a 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. I think the side lacked the instinct and were put off by the opposition attack without realising that they could come back into the game. You must have a healthy respect for the opponent but you should back yourself at the same time. What had happened was the balance in mental issue could have been bit better and were too worried about as to how they are going to handle the opposition attack.
Chandu Borde: I am surprised these youngsters did not change their technique which a player like Cook did after England’s defeat at Lord’s by standing a few feet outside the crease to counter Bhuvaneshwar Kumar’s swing bowling. What can a player do if you don’t implement what is told to you? He cannot bat for you. Their confidence got low as the series progressed, bogged down by failures. Their footwork was lacking to counter the swing. They largely tried to play from the crease. The body language was also down with repeated failures. I was surprised by Moeen Ali taking so many wickets. How did he get 19 wickets against the Indians?
Anshuman Gaekwad: 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? You can take a horse to the water but cannot make him drink. Ultimately the players have to perform. I agree he has to be blamed but batsmen are to be blamed equally for the series drubbing.
