Eric Who? India's new bowling consultant

Without wishing to point a questioning finger at Gary Kirsten's surprise nomination as Team India's new bowling consultant, the choice of Eric Simons does bring with it a South African-style pince-nez myopia to the national coaching ranks.

Just why Kirsten went for someone who had to quit his role as South Africa's coach in divisive circumstances mid-October 2004 caused more of a surprise in South Africa than it has on the subcontinent. One of the comments overheard is Kirsten's preference for someone who knows nothing of India's conditions. At least Kirsten and fitness man Paddy Upton had toured India, while Simons international career as a player was always in the shadow of better bowlers of his type: Fanie de Villiers, Craig Matthews, Meyrick Pringle, Brian McMillan, and even Cronje with his doily-stitch type deliveries.

In fact, the only time Simons played an Indian side was during South Africa's tour of New Zealand during their centenary summer of 1994/95 when they staged a quadrangular tournament in which the Hansie Cronje-led side fared poorly. Not that this explains anything other than Simons, on his only foreign trip as a player, had been recognised more as a limited-overs specialist than having a Test pedigree.

When he first emerged as a player in the South African summer of 1984/85, it was as a highly talented all-rounder for what was unglamorous Northern Transvaal (now Northerns Titans) at a shabby venue known a Berea Park. It was during a Currie Cup (first-class) season where he earned an impressive 51 first-class wickets and in addition displayed invaluable lower-order batting skills, scoring more than useful runs, including a couple of half-centuries. At the time he was viewed as an exciting five star quality player with a bright future.

Yet on transferring back to Cape Town where he played for a talented Western Province side, he failed to impress the national selectors during the latter part of the pernicious rebel era, this despite numerous solid all-round performances.

Anyway, after the appointment a week ago, there were the usual surprise comments of "Eric Who?" resonating among many in India. It also had the media scrambling through websites for updated info on the latest 'shadow coach' to emerge from the South African/Australian coterie. Yet blink and you might have missed his career as a national coach.

When explained that he was in charge of the South African team that fluffed its lines by misreading the simple Duckworth/Lewis weather related equation at Kingsmead in Durban during the 2003 World Cup on a night the angels wept, the rupee or whatever coinage was in the pockets of those asking questions, eventually dropped.

"Oh – that Eric Simons" came a collective bemused response. It's not surprising either, the multitude are apt to quickly forget failures.

At issue perhaps is whether Simons became South Africa's coach by default, brought in as a replacement for Graham Ford, who had quit after a horrific and politically smeared and scarred 2001/02 Tests series with Australia. It was where in six Tests, the South Africans, riven by selection and other identity problems competed only once and won when it was too late and didn't really matter. Yet anyone who examined that particular twin series and its failures should in reality blame most selectors, led by Rushdi Maiget. They were let-off with a pat on the back and a 'well tried' commendation. The only one who attempted to do anything sensible had been Mike Procter, who since his ICC match referee spell, is now in the role of convener.

At the time, Ford's dismissal was organised through a well manipulated witch-hunt by a certain coterie of administrators, who displaying iniquitous behaviour, engaged in a disgracefully organised public media flogging of Ford. Forgotten by an ungrateful administration is how Ford had to re-motivate the side through the trauma of the post Cronje match-fixing era and bring through new talent at the same time under the leadership of a then unprepared Shaun Pollock.

With the money then on offer unlikely to attract any genuine worthwhile candidates, choices were limited. Anyway Duncan Fletcher was too busy rebuilding England; Bob Woolmer had a new role as Africa development coaching consultant for the International Cricket Council; Kepler Wessels had other interests and didn't trust the system as such, especially the Percy Sonn/Ray Mali nexus, and instead of hawking the post the UCB gave it to someone whose credentials at provincial level were considered as dodgy.

During the fallout of the Durban CWC03 debacle, it is conveniently forgotten how it was Pollock who accepted the blame for the D/L fiasco, yet dressing room talk also suggests Simons also had a hand in this misadventure, failing to accept failure that for locals, ripped the soul out of that tournament.

The nearest Simons has been to India is Bangladesh in the aftermath of the CWC03 failure and twice to Sri Lanka - 2002 (Champions Trophy) and 2004 where South Africa lost their first Test series to the islanders and were well beaten in the slogs (ODIs). By then, mutterings that had been going on in the background where a group of players accused the management of forming a clique within the team and how when the choice came to selections there was certain favouritism, had become too loud to ignore.

India will be hoping that Simons will bring more to the role as a bowling consultant than a foreigner trying to tell an Indian chef how to prepare naan, roti and tandoori in conditions of which he has little knowledge. Yet, there are various technical knowledge issues that need to be studied from previous tours which are is invaluable and this is not just about hitting the right length. One is how to use spinners and also the importance placed on winning the toss and batting first.

One of the ways to win a Test in India is on winning the toss is to bat first and score in excess of 450. It is all about being positive and when getting runs on the board to place the opposition under serious pressure with the right bowling strategy, which needs to be worked out.

It will be interesting to see what value Simons brings to his consulting position. As a former medium-paced seam bowler with a tidy smooth action, he will be studying the various techniques of the bowlers involved, but here again India is not South Africa, conditions are far different and teaching those he had seen only on television is going to be a lot tougher.

His first major challenge is the Test series against South Africa. Already he has questioned the role of a couple of players in the South African squad – Albie Morkel for one; the value of Paul Harris in the role of lead spinner is another. But in this, Simons is not the only one.

Kirsten is known for his quiet, studious methods as is Upton, whether Simons can deliver as they have is another matter.