Cricket: Fletcher spell to be reassessed after India

Duncan Fletcher. Photo / Getty Images

The length of former England coach Duncan Fletcher's stint with the New Zealand team is yet to be finalised.

Fletcher, who guided England to the Ashes victory in 2005 as the high point of his eight years coaching England, will join the New Zealand tourists in Jaipur for their second ODI against India tomorrow night and stay with the party for the remainder of the series.

New Zealand coach Mark Greatbatch said last night that it was too early to say whether the 62-year-old former Zimbabwe international Fletcher would do more work in the home series against Pakistan and then at the World Cup on the sub-continent in February-March.

"We'll see how this couple of weeks goes and from there make a decision," Greatbatch said from Guwahati last night.

"Obviously he's got a lot of experience. A couple of months ago we looked at what we were doing in certain areas and wondered if we could bring someone in.

"He's got really good ideas on the game."

Greatbatch said it was an extension of having people such as former New Zealand greats Martin Crowe and Sir Richard Hadlee working with individuals back home. He said Fletcher would take a good look at the players and initially work more with the coaches than players.

"It's a little bit fresh, and different. It will be interesting," he said.

Greatbatch ruled out speculation of captain Dan Vettori returning home early from the Indian tour.

He has suffered a sore back after his extensive workload during the three-test series and, with wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum sat out the 40-run loss in the opening game at Guwahati on Sunday night.

"I'm hoping Dan will be fit for the next one," Greatbatch said.

"There's no talk about him going home. We'll see how he is in training [today]."

McCullum is more sore than Vettori and Greatbatch would not rule out him skipping out the Jaipur game as well.

"If he's still as stiff as he has been we'll probably be conservative. He's had it scanned and there's nothing major, so that's positive."