Rajput appointed assistant coach

Lalchand Rajput, the manager of the Indian team, has been appointed assistant coach for the tour of Australia which begins in December.

"Gary Kirsten will confirm [his willingness to take up the job of coach] in seven days," Rajeev Shukla, the Indian board vice-president, said. "Kirsten, if he takes up the job, will be with the team in parts during the Australia tour and hence Rajput will be with the team."

India have been without a coach since Greg Chappell stepped down in April after the World Cup. For the tours that followed, cricket managers were appointed to take charge of the side. Ravi Shastri managed the team in Bangladesh in May and Chandu Borde was in charge in England. Rajput took over from Borde for India's victorious ICC World Twenty20 campaign and continued to manage the side for the recent home series against Australia and Pakistan.

He will now travel with the team to Australia for four Tests and a triangular one-day series.