Rookie fitness coach for Indian team
A year and a bit after BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur promised the Indian cricket team a fully qualified physical fitness expert, the board finally delivers -- a 23-three-year-old rookie Australian.
Andrew Kokinos, the Melbourne-based trainer of Greek origin, is slated to take over the charge of keeping the Indian team fit from Dr Ravindra Chaddha, who will henceforth confine his brief to physiotherapy and medical treatment.
Dungarpur told the media in Bombay that the appointment was made in consultation with newly appointed consultant coach Bobby Simpson.
Apparently Kokinos has never performed these duties for a cricket team before, though Simpson informed Dungarpur and the board that the youngster had done an outstanding job with the players of the North Melbourne Football Club.
The BCCI had also considered the names of Andrew Shadlock of
Durban, and Patrick Farnhart of Sydney, before selecting Kokinos.
The newly appointed trainer is scheduled to hold his first camp, as a prelude to the upcoming Test series against Australia, in Madras from February 28. Besides the Indian team, members of the junior team that took part in the World Cup, earlier this year in South Africa, will also participate.
Dungarpur told the media that the services of a foreign expert was sought after earlier appointees, most notably Ali Irani, had failed to bring about the desired result. "It is my goal to raise the Indian side's fitness levels to those of the Australian and South African sides," Dungarpur said.
Bobby Simpson also opined that the Indian team was, physically, the weakest in international cricket at present.
Kokinos is on a short term contract, the periodicity of which was not mentioned. It will be renewed depending on results produced, Dungarpur said.
Dungarpur also emphasised that the duties of coach Anshuman Gaikwad and consultant Bobby Simpson will not overlap.
"Whatever advise Simpson conveys will have no bearing on the thinking of the national selectors," Dungarpur said. "This understanding is part of the 'gentleman's agreement' between Simpson and the BCCI."
Dungarpur said that Simpson would be with the team right through till the 1999 World Cup.
Refuting reports emanating from Sydney that Simpson would not advise the Indian team in the event of a clash against Australia, Dungarpur said, "Simpson will be on hand even if India and Australia clash in the World Cup."
India
and Australia are in seperate groups from which three will advance
into the next stage, dubbed the super league. The top four in the super league will then qualify for the knockout final stage.
Simpson's first foreign foray with the Indian team will be to Colombo later this summer, for the Independence Cup.
Dungarpur said that while the prime objective of the BCCI was the 1999 World Cup in England, Simpson would also accompany a BCCI junior team to London later this year. "There are some suggestions and advice Simpson can impart, which can only be imbibed at an early stage of a player's career," Dungarpur said.
Dungarpur further announced that under the Australian International
official airlines sponsorship, the BCCI will send two junior players for training at the Australian Cricket Academy each year. "The board is considering sending two more players, at its own expense," he added.
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