Birmingham: Four months ago, when Duncan Fletcher became Indian cricket's celebrated new import, he surely knew what he was getting into. After all, the team had just won the World Cup; it had been No. 1 in Tests for some time too.Something else, though, would have been on top of his mind: expectations from the fans and tantrums by the players. As India waded through tricky Caribbean waters, with virtually a second-string team, he might have been tempted to brush both aside as typical sub-continental exaggeration.
He must have even looked forward to the next challenge. After all, he knew both - the enemy and the terrain - as an insider. Maybe, he had an old score to settle too. With most of India's top players back, he could even have dreamt of being anointed super coach again. If only he knew he was walking into a nightmare.
The first day of the first Test itself woke him up to the worst possible scenario: Zaheer Khan bowing to a hamstring strain; two weeks later, as suspected, he had to withdraw from the fight without even showing it. Worse, the world's most feted batting lineup showed signs of fragility, of self-implosion.
Two weeks and two defeats later, he understands that India face their worst possible performance since 1999-2000 in Australia. Or maybe even a whitewash. At the time of writing, England were exposing the bowling too to complete the dismal picture.
The big problem has stemmed from the batting though: so far, in five attempts, they have failed to cross 300 runs or at least survive 100 overs. "We have found it very difficult to handle the swing and the seam," he said, after being sent to face the music on Wednesday evening. "But I have seen others struggle in such situations," he added.
True, the conditions have been tough; England's bowling has been more than a handful. ("We are hunting like a pack, enjoying each other's successes," said Tim Bresnan.) But isn't this the world's best batting? How much more time does it need to adapt, forget quell the attack? "I have never played on three wickets where the ball has moved around so much," he said. "But how can we practise against swing bowling when there is no swing bowling in India," he argued.
True, but haven't India overcome the same problem on their last two trips here? Haven't they overcome pace and bounce too in recent times? Haven't the Sachins, Rahuls and Laxmans buried those ghosts?
Fletcher believes the batting might still come good in the second innings, maybe even effect a turnaround. But he already knows he has a task on hand; and maybe, he didn't really know what he was getting into.
