Patil not available to coach India

Sandeep Patil, the former Indian batsman and one of the four candidates shortlisted by the Indian cricket board for the position of India's next coach, has opted out of the fray citing existing commitments with the Oman cricket team, according to a report in Mid-Day, a Mumbai based newspaper. Though Patil refused to either "confirm or deny" the report, it is learnt that Patil has communicated his unavailability through a written reply to the board's invitation for an interview scheduled.

Patil will be travelling to Ireland next month with the Oman team for their World Cup qualifiers. He is also involved in conducting the Complan coaching scheme to unearth cricketing talent from schools.

Patil had earlier coached India in 1996, when he took over from Ajit Wadekar, but his tenure was a forgettable one and was replaced within six months. In the next few years, though, Patil guided the Kenyan national team and helped them enter the World Cup semi-finals in 2003, after overcoming Test-playing countries like Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. He then returned to take charge of the India A side, guided them to a very satisfactory tour of England before winning the tri-series in Kenya, in a tournament also involving Pakistan A. He quit the post as he felt he was being treated "shabbily" by the Indian board and took over the responsibilities of coaching Oman.