Batting great Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the reappointment of Zimbabwe-born Duncan Fletcher as head coach of India’s cricket team.

“I wonder whether an Indian coach would have survived after 10 Test defeats,” Gavaskar said on Indian TV.

Indian media reported on Saturday the national cricket board (BCCI) had rewarded Fletcher for guiding the team from first to fourth on the Test rankings by reappointing him for another year.

Fletcher was appointed in April 2011 for a two-year term and during his time at the helm the side have suffered crushing 4-0 Test-series defeats away to England and Australia.

However the 64-year-old former Zimbabwe allrounder has clung to his position despite another poor result at home in December 2012 when his former side England beat India 2-1, their first series triumph in India since 1984-85.

India have regained some pride by winning the first two matches of their four-Test series at home against third-ranked Australia and Fletcher’s next major assignment at Test level will be a tour of South Africa to play the No.1-ranked Proteas in late 2013.

“The board has decided to extend his contract,” BCCI president N Srinivasan told reporters after Friday’s meeting in Mumbai.

“But we have to discuss the terms. I can’t tell you the deliberations of the board.

“All I can tell you is what is the decision. We have decided to extend it.”

India have won eight Tests and lost 10 under Fletcher, who also guided England to an Ashes series triumph in 2005 before falling 5-0 to Australia in 2006/07.