India name new bowling coach after Test defeats

Australian Joe Dawes was today named as India's new bowling coach to replace South African Eric Simons following the team's dismal overseas Test performance in recent months.

Australian Joe Dawes was on Tuesday named as India's new bowling coach to replace South African Eric Simons following the team's dismal overseas Test performance in recent months.

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"Joe Dawes has been appointed the bowling coach of the Indian team for a period of two years," Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Sanjay Jagdale said in a statement.

"He will replace Eric Simons, whose term ends at the completion of India's ongoing tour of Australia."

The decision to hire Dawes, 41, comes after India were whitewashed 4-0 by Australia to record eight successive overseas Test defeats following a similar hammering in England last year.

Former Queensland paceman Dawes, who bagged 285 wickets in 76 first-class matches between 1997 and 2005, has served as bowling coach of South Australia.

Simons, 49, is the first member of the team management to be replaced after the Test losses where the form and fitness of the bowlers was a major worry.

Simons, who represented South Africa in 23 one-day internationals, was appointed in 2010 and was part of the World Cup-winning Indian squad coached by compatriot Gary Kirsten.

India's cricket chiefs, however, ruled out an enquiry into the national team's away Test defeats.

"I think it's premature to talk of an enquiry, there's no need for any enquiry if you ask me," said BCCI president Narayanaswamy Srinivasan.

"Let the team come back. Then the selectors, the coach, and the others will evaluate what needs to be done further to improve performance if it is considered necessary."

India are currently playing a triangular one-day series in Australia, also featuring Sri Lanka.