India ask for Reid as bowling coach

The Indians have sought the services of Bruce Reid as bowling coach during their 84-day tour of Australia. According to a report by the Press Trust of India, the request has already been passed on to the Indian board, and a decision on the matter is expected on Sunday, when the working committee of the board meets in New Delhi.

The report also says that Reid has already been approached by John Wright and is ready to work with the Indian bowlers, and the only issue that needs sorting out is the financial terms.

Reid, who has been credited for the phenomenal rise of Nathan Bracken, performed a similar role during Zimbabwe's tour to Australia earlier this year. With three out of India's five seamers being left-armers, it is believed that Reid, who was a top-class left-arm fast bowler himself, would be the best man to help the Indians out. India go into the four-Test series with a highly inexperienced seam attack -Ajit Agarkar is the only one of the five who has played international cricket in Australia before.

The decision to rope in a bowling coach might also have been prompted by India's lacklustre performance in their tour-opener against Victoria, who hammered 518 against a toothless Indian attack, with Brad Hodge making a mammoth 264.