Graham Ford named as Team India's new coach

Chennai, June 9 (UNI) Former South Africa coach Graham Xavier Ford was appointed as the new Team India coach tonight.

The 46-year-old South African, currently cricket director of English county Kent, was selected ahead of former England off-spinner John Emburey after both of them made their presentations in tandem before the three-member coach selection committee comprising former skippers Sunil Gavaskar, S venkatraghavan and Ravi Shastri, the BCCI announced.

Ford became the third foreign national to coach the 'high-profile' Indian team -- first being Kiwi John Wright and then Aussie Greg Chappell.

He was vowedly backed by senior players of the team, including skipper Rahul Dravid.

The former Natal all-rounder's appointment to the 'pressure-cooker' job came after over 70 days of high drama during which the BCCI nearly plummed for former Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore.

But after Whatmore fell out of the Board's favour, the names of Ford and former Sri Lanka skipper Arjuna Ranatunga cropped up.

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