Kapil Dev is not a happy man.

Given the presence of so many former cricketing greats in India, one would have expected the Board of Control for Cricket in India to appoint an Indian bowling coach for the team currently touring Australia.

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But the team management and the BCCI decided that an Australian, Bruce Reid, would be the better option.

The president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Jagmohan Dalmiya, announced Reid's appointment after the board's working committee meeting yesterday. Reid had been awaiting the green signal from the BCCI to join the Indian squad before the first Test begins at the Gabba in Brisbane on Thursday.

"The Indian team has a Kiwi coach and an Australian coach. If things go wrong in the batting, then the Indian players can turn to the Kiwi coach and if they go wrong in the bowling department, they can turn to the Australian coach. The BCCI has been very smart," Kapil Dev said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Former New Zealand pace bowler Richard Hadlee was of the opinion that miracles should not be expected of the former Australian left-arm paceman. "Reid cannot do miracles with the Indian team which does not have a very good bowling strength," Hadlee said. "He can only work with whatever talent is available at his disposal."

Former Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga also felt that teams from the subcontinent tend to use Australians in coaching positions while their own talent goes elsewhere. The Lankans themselves have had Dav Whatmore as coach for a long time. Pakistan used the services of England-born South African Richard Pybus a few times.

"I am not a great believer in looking outside your country when you have the best talent and expertise available at home," Ranatunga, who led the side coached by Whatmore to victory in the 1996 cricket World Cup, said. "We in the subcontinent tend to look abroad for coaches; it is an attitude we have developed over the years. We think they are better than us, but that is not the case."

Reid, meanwhile, has just this one tour to try and help the Indians to leave with their heads held high.