Dilip Vengsarkar expresses his interest to work with Team India; rates Duncan Fletcher as "poor" Test coach

Dilip Vengsarkar

Saying that he has always enjoyed being associated with the Indian cricket team be it in any capacity, former Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar has expressed his interest to work with the national outfit.

When asked if he is ready for the task of coaching Team India, Vengsarkar, referring to the chance of reuniting his former teammate Ravi Shastri who is currently the team director, said: “It will be a great honour to be back to the dressing room with Ravi.”

“I have enjoyed being a part of the Indian team as a player and also as the chairman of Talent Resource Development Wing (an initiative of the Board of Control for Cricket in India to spot local talent) and selection committee. Because Indian cricket made me what I am today.”

The 58-year-old has represented India in 116 Tests and 129 ODIs, scoring 6868 runs and 3508 runs respectively.

Duncan Fletcher is poor in Test cricket

On Duncan Fletcher’s performance as the national coach after taking over from Gary Kirsten post the 2011 World Cup victory, the Mumbaikar said: “To be honest with you, I don’t know Duncan Fletcher at all. I have not even met him. But if you see his performance as a coach, he is extremely poor in Test cricket. We have not only lost, we have been thrashed in the recent past. From the number one position, we have gone down to number five.”

Vengsarkar believes that an Indian coach will be able to make a difference with better knowledge of the country’s talent pool. He said: “A foreign coach is not aware of the emerging players from the domestic circuit. He only knows the players he has in the team whereas India has many talented youngsters from the first-class circuit. Having an Indian coach will be an advantage. Ravi and others would know all the players well and can work accordingly.”

The Indian cricket team went down badly in the just concluded Test series in England, losing the 5-match series 1-3 after going 1-0 ahead with a historic triumph at Lord’s. However, they turned the tables on the home team by winning the ODI series that followed 3-1 before losing the only Twenty20 international of the tour.