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Gary Kirsten advising Fletcher

Chennai - India's new cricket coach Duncan Fletcher says he is getting advice from his predecessor Gary Kirsten as he braces for the challenge of coaching the Cricket World Cup-winning team.

Fletcher met Board of Control for Cricket in India officials and selectors on Friday and said he had already spoken to Kirsten about his new job.

"This is new challenge for me. I had a bit of advice from coach Gary Kirsten and bowling coach Eric Simons. I had another chat with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. It is a very exciting job, coaching the world champion team. It's a high profile job," Fletcher said.

Fletcher was appointed coach when Kirsten stood aside after guiding India to its World Cup triumph last month and also the current top test ranking.

"There will not be any major changes in my plans prepared for the team," said the 62-year-old Fletcher, who was the coach of the England team that in 2005 took the Ashes back from Australia after a gap of 18 years.

"I had watched the Indian team's performance in South Africa and the World Cup. But I will make my observations after being physically with the Indian team and then perhaps I can make some changes, if necessary. I am in a place where one cannot have a dictatorial role," Fletcher said.

"In subcontinent conditions, I have had fairly good results in the past with back-to-back series wins in Pakistan and Sri Lanka,' he added.

Fletcher, an all-rounder who captained Zimbabwe at the 1983 World Cup but never played in Tests, had been shortlisted by the BCCI along with another former Zimbabwe player, Andy Flower, the England coach.

He will be the fourth foreign coach of India after New Zealander John Wright, Australian Greg Chappell and Kirsten.

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