Simpson not available for series against Australia

SYDNEY, February 7: Australia's former coach Bob Simpson today said his role as a consultant to India would not involve plotting his country...

SYDNEY, February 7: Australia’s former coach Bob Simpson today said his role as a consultant to India would not involve plotting his country’s downfall as the leading Test cricket team.

Simpson, who coached Australia from 1986 to 1996, flies out on Wednesday for talks with the Indian board to finalise the details of his role.

Mark Taylor’sÃ¿14-man squad, to be named on Monday, arrives in Mumbai on February 21 for a three-Test tour and a Triangular One-day series with Zimbabwe and the hosts.

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The former Test batsman’s first job with Mohammad Azharuddin’s side would have been to help defeat Australia.

“That was the fertile imagination of a journalist. For startersÃ¿I’m not available for a few months because I have got other matters to deal with,” Simpson said.

“I’ll only be there a week and my conversation with them will be all about how to practice and how to prepare their team.

They have suggested they’re looking toward the World Cup in England in 1999.”

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“I’ve also informed them that Iwouldn’t be available for aÃ¿few months and that I wouldn’t do it on a full-time basis, so it would only be on a consultancy basis,” he added.

The 62-year-old Simpson has a general coaching brief with the Australian Cricket Board to visit six states on a yearly basis. He is also an International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee and is on the ICC’s panel to review suspect bowling actions.

He officiated on Sri Lanka’s tour of India last November, reporting Indian off-spinner Rajesh Chauhan and Sri Lankan spinner Kumara Dharmasena for suspect actions.

It was at that time that Indian ex-captain Sunil Gavaskar, writing in his weekly newspaper column, called for Simpson to be approached about a consultancy role.

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Simpson said he had already rejected offers to coach two countries and his concern with cricket these days was more embracing.