Calls for his resignation or sacking have been interspersed over the past two weeks - in which England have fought back to take a 2-1 Test series lead - with a clamour for the retirement of veteran master batsman Sachin Tendulkar.

Pleas for seismic shifts in selection policy for a team of ageing superstars have so far been met since last week’s seven-wicket defeat at Eden Gardens, with the decision to drop mainstays Zaheer Khan, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh.