VIRENDER Sehwag says new coach Duncan Fletcher is not to blame for India's latest Test flop, but yesterday refused to offer any benefits the former England leader had brought to his nation's failing side.
Fletcher - credited as the mastermind behind England's 2005 Ashes triumph and snapping a 16-year hoodoo against Australia - won backing from full-time captain MS Dhoni following the Perth Test, but after yesterday's fourth-Test defeat at Adelaide Oval, Sehwag was less generous."It's difficult to tell you," the stand-in captain said after a long pause when asked about Fletcher's contribution.
"I will not comment on that, I will not say anything.
"He's a good coach. He's talking to a lot of batsmen and getting their input and making a lot of strategy. But when you (the players) can't execute your strategy, nothing happens."
Zimbabwean Fletcher has been branded India's jinxed man by a critical travelling media
Despite his 2-1 Ashes upset in England in 2005, India's 4-0 series whitewash leaves Fletcher's win-loss record in Tests on Australian soil at a horrible 1-13 in 14 matches.
He was also in charge of England's 2002-03 team that went down 4-1 and the 2006-07 side that had a 5-0 drubbing Down Under.
In April last year, Fletcher took over an Indian side that was one-day World Cup champions and the No.1-ranked Test side. In the nine months since, the Test team has slumped to consecutive 4-0 series losses away from home, broken only by a 2-0 series win over the lowly West Indies.
Despite his curious lack of praise for Fletcher, Sehwag refused to blame the coach for India's most recent disaster.
"No. Never. Why should I blame anybody because the players let down the team, not the support staff," he said.
Sehwag said claims Indian players didn't care about their hiding in Australia were wrong.
"It's very unfair," he said.
"I think everybody cares about their performances.
"They care if India lose the game and we are very passionate about the team and our performances.
"It is a shame if somebody is talking like that because if you lose the game, you should go out there and work out what went wrong and come back and perform well in the next game.
"We are trying that but it's not happening. It doesn't mean we are happy to lose."
India has also denied its ageing stars are on the verge of retiring - and is adamant none should be forced out - following its 4-0 series humiliation against Australia.
Team media manager GS Walia read out a handwritten statement after yesterday's defeat, describing as "baseless" claims that senior player Rahul Dravid was preparing to retire..
He was also in charge of England's 2002-03 team that went down 4-1 and the 2006-07 side that had a 5-0 drubbing Down Under.
In April last year, Fletcher took over an Indian side that was one-day World Cup champions and the No.1-ranked Test side. In the nine months since, the Test team has slumped to consecutive 4-0 series losses away from home, broken only by a 2-0 series win over the lowly West Indies.
Despite his curious lack of praise for Fletcher, Sehwag refused to blame the coach for India's most recent disaster.
"No. Never. Why should I blame anybody because the players let down the team, not the support staff," he said.
Sehwag said claims Indian players didn't care about their hiding in Australia were wrong.
"It's very unfair," he said.
"I think everybody cares about their performances.
"They care if India lose the game and we are very passionate about the team and our performances.
"It is a shame if somebody is talking like that because if you lose the game, you should go out there and work out what went wrong and come back and perform well in the next game.
"We are trying that but it's not happening. It doesn't mean we are happy to lose."
India has also denied its ageing stars are on the verge of retiring - and is adamant none should be forced out - following its 4-0 series humiliation against Australia.
Team media manager GS Walia read out a handwritten statement after yesterday's defeat, describing as "baseless" claims that senior player Rahul Dravid was preparing to retire..
No comments:
Post a Comment