According to a report by the Indian Express, India's Director of Cricket Ravi Shastri believes that Duncan Fletcher is "too soft" on the players, who require a "sterner hand".
According to the paper, Shastri met BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel and a few other officials in Chennai on Monday evening. It is learnt that the BCCI will be placing many of the key points discussed during their meeting in front of the working committee meeting. However, he did not submit any official report.
“Nobody can question Fletcher’s cricket knowledge but the former England coach needs to be more expressive. Most of these players come from remote backgrounds and they don’t understand English so well. These players generally say ‘ok’ to whatever the support staff tell them regardless of whether they’ve understood it or not,” the source said. “Ravi also made it clear that these players needed someone to keep a check on them,” a board official added on condition of anonymity to the newspaper.
Apparently, Shastri is adamant that India have to improve their bowling if they have to perform overseas. However, he is not displeased with their performance in the Test series in England, citing youth as a possible factor for the lack of good results.
Shastri said he also wanted the English debacle to be looked at in two parts. The first part being India’s brilliant performance in the first two Tests and then the last three, where the visitors were completely outplayed and lost two of those by an innings.
Shastri also thinks that Ishant Sharma's absence with an injury hurt the Indian team's chances after the second Test. Ishant captured a match-winning 7/74 in the second innings of that Test.
According to the paper, the BCCI secretary will be meeting with Fletcher before the series against the West Indies, and putting forth the board’s proposal regarding the coaching staff till the 2015 World Cup.
Shastri also told the BCCI officials that he is willing to help India during the tour of Australia and then for the 2015 World Cup in Oceania, but he wants the BCCI to take his commentary commitments into consideration.
“We will find a solution for this. Patel has agreed to look into the issue. We need Shastri. But at the same time, the BCCI is also keen on getting Rahul Dravid to conduct short-term sessions with the team," an official said to the Indian Express.
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