CHENNAI: Former South Africa coach Eric Simons will work as a bowling consultant for India, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Monday.
“Eric Simons has been appointed bowling consultant... for the Test series against Bangladesh and the Test and ODI series against South Africa,” BCCI said in a statement.
Simons, 47, represented his country as a medium-pace bowler and lower-order batsman in 23 one-day internationals between 1994 and 1995 and took up coaching after retirement.
The BCCI sacked Venkatesh Prasad and Robin Singh as bowling and fielding coaches in October after the country’s early exit from the Twenty20 World Cup in England and the Champions Trophy in South Africa.
India climbed to the top of the Test rankings for the first time in December but the team has struggled to establish supremacy in one-day international cricket.
This prompted India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to say the side would benefit from having a specialist bowling coach.
Former South African batsman Gary Kirsten is India’s chief coach.
The Indian board has also recruited former Australian Mike Young as fielding consultant.
India play two Test matches against Bangladesh this month before South Africa arrive in India for two Tests and three one-dayers.
