King appointed as India's new fitness trainer

South African Gregory Allen King has been appointed as India's new fitness trainer. He succeeds Adrian le Roux who resigned earlier in the month to take up a similar position with the South Africa team.

King, 30, was interviewed by Sourav Ganguly, John Wright, and Jagmohan Dalmiya yesterday following a recommendation to the Indian board by Andrew Leipus, India's team physio. King will take up his new assignment from August 1.

Dalmiya told reporters that King was picked ahead of eight other candidates. "Each of these candidates had extremely good credentials and the selection was difficult. But the panel felt that it was necessary to maintain a continuity with the methods and techniques practiced by Le Roux." King's salary is believed to be around US$52,000.

Dalmiya stated that while he would recommend a a long-term contract for King - preferably till the Champions Trophy in August next year - a final decision on the tenure of the contract would be taken when the board's Working Committee meets on July 2 and 3 in Delhi.

A post-graduate in Human Kinetics and Ergonomics, King was a fitness trainer and sports scientist with Border since 1998. He has also worked as a fielding coach and a conditioning specialist for fast bowlers.