Former South Africa captain Kepler Wessels feels Duncan Fletcher faces a quandary after indiscipline and player power accounted for India's 4-0 series loss to England. Kepler, a well-travelled television critic, told Reuters on Thursday that former coach Gary Kirsten allowed the senior players to run the team.
The general agreement is that Fletcher was appointed as long as he continued with the same coaching style as Gary Kirsten. The senior players wanted that, they wanted Gary to stay on, but when that didn't happen, they wanted a like-for-like substitute, he said.
Gary allowed the senior players and superstars to run the show and do their own thing. But then the team arrived in England totally unwary, there were no dedicated approach and no hunger there. India need a much firmer hand, superstars or not,Kepler told Reuters on Thursday.
Kepler said Fletcher was now between a rock and a hard place.If he agreed to go with the Kirsten move toward, he can't change now. The situation is crying out for more control and a firm hand, but if he does flex his muscles, the players won't like it and it is indistinct whether the Board will sanction a different approach,he said.
The former opening batsman, who was renowned for his gritty, restricted approach during his 16 Tests for South Africa and 24 for Australia, said India could not vie with an England team run by team director Andy Flower.
Flower takes a hard line, he's meticulous on health, and there are no short cuts and he sets very high standards. The players and organization can either buy into it or not be part of the team. He runs a very tight ship and the players have bought into it,he said.
The England players are strictly very good at the moment in all three regulation of the game. Due to their superior health and technical expertise, they have become used to winning, which has made them spiritually strong and ruthless in their pursuit of fineness,Kepler concluded.