Dean Jones joins the race for coach

The much-hyped search for a new Indian coach has now interested Dean Jones, making him the fourth Australian to be discussed as a possible replacement for John Wright alongside Greg Chappell, Dav Whatmore and Tom Moody. No stranger to India, where he marked his arrival with an epic double-hundred in Madras, and where he now commentates regularly, Jones told the Indian Express that he had forwarded his resume to the Indian board.

"I have been to India 58 times and enjoy the country and the public," said Jones. "So my hand is up, I am interested." But he was unsure of his chances. "I don't know as yet, it also depends on the selection committee that is formed."

Jones's international career spanned ten seasons, and he is still regarded as a player who took the one-day game - a form he believed was tougher than Tests - to a higher level with his brilliant fielding and middle-over batting. And it was the pinnacle of limited-overs cricket that Jones said India should strive for. "They are quite an experienced bunch now. So in a sense there is not much of problem, it is just that they are constantly under pressure. John Wright has done a great job, but I would like to see a few changes ... I don't want to see them pussyfooting at any stage. I'd like to see a change in the way they prepare, especially when they play Australia, and the target has to be the World Cup."

Like most other contenders, he acknowledged that fitness was an issue; it was the key to bigger scores and good performances against quality opposition. ``The batsmen should not be happy with a 50-plus average, they need to take that to the 60-plus bracket ... you need harder training and lot of work on fitness. Preparation and team planning is the key and since I know most of the players, that will help."

Jones, whose career overlapped with Sachin Tendulkar's and Anil Kumble's, said he had another advantage. "I am not the kind who would be in awe while speaking to a Sourav Ganguly or a Rahul Dravid."

The newspaper also reported a board official saying that Steve Waugh was also in the running. "He is high-profile but he could turn out to be the dark horse."