India set for revamped support staff

While India's coaching staff seems to have settled after Duncan Fletcher's exit, the support staff is set for a revamp starting with the next month's three-Test series in Sri Lanka. The squad will see three new members as part of the support staff at least for the next year.

Australia's Patrick Farhart will join as the physiotherapist while Shankar Basu and Arun Kanade will come on board as strength and conditioning expert and masseur, respectively. All three have been handed a one-year contract, with Kanade assuming responsibility in Zimbabwe earlier this month. Farhart and Basu will take charge in Sri Lanka. With the Indian team set to reach Sri Lanka ten days before the first Test, starting on August 12, the duo will get enough time to get acquainted with the players.

Farhart has been roped in as a replacement for Nitin Patel who had recently resigned due to personal reasons. The Australian has an impressive CV, with almost three decades of professional experience. Besides working with major rugby and football teams in Australia, Farhart has also worked for the Australia, New South Wales and Hampshire teams. For the last couple of years, he was the physiotherapist for Twenty20 franchises Sydney Sixers and Kings XI Punjab.

Basu has been appointed as trainer of the India squad since VP Sudarshan, who was the trainer for the last two years, has preferred to be stationed at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. Having worked with the NCA earlier, Basu, currently the Royal Challengers Bangalore trainer, is no stranger to most India players.

Kanade, meanwhile, has to step into the big shoes of Ramesh Mane, the first full-time masseur of the Indian team. Mane was an integral part of the India entourage for the last decade and was popular among players. BCCI is understood to have roped in Kanade to create a substitute for an ageing Mane.