Duncan Fletcher won’t be sidelined: Ravi Shastri

Mumbai: Newly appointed director of Team India, Ravi Shastri insisted on Wednesday that chief coach Duncan Fletcher will not be sidelined during the ODI series against England starting in Bristol on August 25. The BCCI made sweeping changes in the coaching staff by sending the team’s bowling coach Joe Dawes and fielding coach Trevor Penney “on a break.” and the former India all-arounder Shastri was put as in-charge of the team.

“My role is to oversee everything. All of them report to me. This is for the ODI series in England. Fletcher stays as the head coach. And Sanjay Bangar and Bharat Arun will be his assistants. Fletcher won’t be sidelined,” Shastri told ESPNCricinfo on Wednesday. Shastri said he accepted the short-term role and insisted on the coaching staff he wanted. “I had no reservations about the job. I went for domestic Indian coaches because I felt they can contribute,” said Shastri, who had filled in as India’s coach on a tour of Bangladesh in 2007.

Shastri has already spoken to skipper Dhoni and Fletcher. “Everything that had to be said, was said. Duncan still commands a lot of respect in the dressing room. He’s been around for a long time. He will remain as the head coach. I am not interested in Duncan’s job let me make it loud and clear. I don’t think there is any need to panic. These are tried and trusted people. Let’s not forget India is a young side and is in transition. It is important that everyone is patient and gives people time to get their act together,” he added.

Shastri’s appointment has received mixed reactions. Sunil Gavaskar has said that there is no quick fix for an ailment that has affected India on overseas tours for long. Former wicketkeeper and national selector Syed Kirmani feels coaches will never win matches and it’s for Dhoni and the players to do the job.Though it was a disastrous series, Shastri believes the second Test victory at Lord’s was the team’s greatest away from home, but admits what happened in the third, fourth, and fifth Tests was not acceptable. They were hammered by 266 runs in Southampton, and by an innings at Old Trafford and The Oval.

“What I saw was India’s greatest win overseas, and I’ve covered cricket and watched cricket and played cricket for 35 years,” he said. “I don’t think any win was as big as this, at Lord’s. And then you saw the downswing, some spineless cricket as well. That I attribute to inexperience and the fact that it is a very young side. My challenge is for the boys to enjoy themselves, play freely and express themselves. Work hard and use the cricket ground as a vehicle to express yourselves and play aggressively.”