MS Dhoni's views on Duncan Fletcher personal: BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel

Duncan Fletcher (L) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Reacting to captain MS Dhoni’s comments that Duncan Fletcher is “still the boss” of the Indian cricket team, BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel has said that it is just the 33-year-old’s personal opinion and doesn’t reflect that of the board’s.

NDTV quoted Patel as saying, "I have not spoken to Dhoni and so the BCCI will not like to react to his comments. However, it seemed to me as his personal opinion".

Replying to the question on whether the Zimbabwean will hold on to his post till the World Cup 2015 scheduled to take place in Australia and New Zealand, Dhoni insisted that Fletcher’s powers have not been limited despite Ravi Shastri’s appointment as the team director. The Indian cricketer-turned-commentator was drafted in recently to "oversee and guide the Indian cricket team" following a string of overseas defeats.

"Definitely he will lead us into the World Cup. Also, he is still the boss. We have Ravi [Shastri] who will look into everything, but Duncan Fletcher is the boss. It's not as if his powers or his position have been curtailed,” said Dhoni.

Shastri’s role is rumoured to undermine the importance of Fletcher in the team set-up following the forced leave of his preferred men in Trevor Penny and Joe Dawes as fielding and bowling coaches respectively. India shipped in Sanjay Bangar, Bharat Arun and Ramakrishnan Sridhar to replace the duo for the limited overs series in England.

“I don't know what you feel from outside, but still operations remain the same,” Dhoni was quoted as saying to media at Bristol. The board has not made any announcements regarding the future of Shastri and the new support staffs, but it is believed that the 52-year-old might be requested to stay on till the World Cup Down Under.