Fletcher praise for team effort

Duncan Fletcher: 'I was very impressed with what I saw of Cook in Pakistan and that is why we got him back this time' © Getty Images

Duncan Fletcher has praised the inexperienced England team for their performance in the first Test at Nagpur. The side included three debutants - Alastair Cook, Ian Blackwell and Monty Panesar - while none of the players were over 30 and the team was led by Andrew Flintoff, captaining England for the first time.

"What is so pleasing is that these guys look as though they have really got a desire not just to play for England but to do well for England." Fletcher confirmed that Flintoff will continue to lead England for the remainder of the tour, but he still has concerns over the workload for the allrounder.

Flintoff bowled 46 overs at Nagpur and there are just three days between the Tests. However, Fletcher has talked to Marcus Trescothick in recent days and says there is 'a very good chance' that he won't return for either the remaining Tests or the one-day series, while Michael Vaughan is unlikely to return for the one-day matches.

"At the moment it is a lot to do," said Fletcher. "Just as an all-rounder he had a lot to do. Adding the captaincy could be - you never know with the individual - what he needs to step his game up to another level. We will only find that out later on.

"Fred, at this stage, will captain for the rest of the tour. He captained well. Considering the circumstances it wasn't an easy game, being thrown in he had to grab hold of the reins straight away, which he did. You can see immediately he is a guy who wants to lead from the front."

England's reshaped side performed above all expected with two of the debutants - Cook and Panesar - having outstanding games, while Paul Collingwood, who probably wouldn't have played if Vaughan and Trescothick had been available, struck his maiden Test century.

"I was very impressed with what I saw of Cook in Pakistan and that is why we got him back this time," said Fletcher. "As for Monty, I was surprised with the control he had right from the word go, he didn't seem to show any nerves. He has a good classical action and that is what we have been trying to get out of our bowlers instead of these mechanical actions which leave you fighting to get consistency."

Collingwood's performance did not surprise Fletcher, who has always been a fan of England's established stand-by batsman. Now he is demanding a position in his own right.

"He is one guy who has shown some character. He has been given very few chances and yet he has grabbed them on nearly every occasion. He played two great innings in Pakistan and to come out and get that knock shows why I have wanted him around the side for some time. He has got that buzz about him which is very important. He has done a hell of a job and we have to take note of that."

The one negative of England's performance was two dropped catches by Geraint Jones, the first of which would have broken the 128-run stand between Mohammad Kaif and Anil Kumble in the first innings, while the second came against Rahul Dravid on the final morning.

But Fletcher, a big fan of Jones, has again fully supported him. "As I have said on numerous occasions, I have seen other guys put down chances. From our point of view he kept magnificently in Pakistan, he came here and missed two difficult chances. If he was putting down nine-to-five jobs then you probably would be worried but they were two difficult chances."

In a pleasing change of events for Fletcher, the England squad is all fit in the build-up to the second Test, which starts at Mohali on Thursday. Kevin Pietersen has been cleared of any serious problem after an x-ray on his elbow, which caused concern after a dive in the field on Sunday.