The will-he, won't-he debate over the long-term future of Nasser Hussain as England's captain took another twist when Duncan Fletcher admitted that he favoured Hussain staying on after the 2003 World Cup. Hussain had hinted on more than one occasion that he might stand down after the tournament; Fletcher's own contract with the England and Wales Cricket Board ends at that time.

But Fletcher said that he did not feel that there was anyone ready yet to step up to the job of England captain. "I think it's too early for the guys we have waiting to do his job - players like Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick still have to develop their game," he said. "They are very good players even now, but I just don't think people appreciate what captaincy is all about and how big a strain it can be.

"I would be keen to persuade Nasser to carry on. He's done a great job and I enjoy working with him and we pair off well because we have different ways of working." He has a great cricket brain on him."

But Fletcher warned that Hussain might have already made up his mind. "I don't know if Nasser can be persuaded to carry on because he makes his own mind up and I don't think people appreciate just how much stress there is as captain or coach of England. It's an incredibly difficult job and you don't get a break. In most jobs you can tidy your desk at the end of the day and forget about it all, but that doesn't seem to happen in cricket."

Much could depend on how the next few months pan out. England meet India in a four-Test series over the next two months and then take on the formidable Australians again at the end of the year. "You don't know how he's going to feel in six months' time after the World Cup," Fletcher explained. "He could be totally drained or if England are successful, he may want to carry on."

The same might also apply to Fletcher himself. "I've enjoyed seeing the progress being made," he said. "There's nothing more fulfilling than when you've put in some hard work and you see people starting to reap the rewards of that. It's a pleasure working with this side, there's a good team spirit and it's working well and it would be an honour if they did approach me to extend my contract."

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