Srinath's name was being considered after Australian Bruce Reid, who did the job during the recent Test and one-day series in Australia, declined to accompany the team to Pakistan for personal reasons.

"Bruce has told us he will not be free during March and April because of previous commitments," an official of the Board of Control for Cricket in India said.

"We are looking at an alternative. It could be Srinath or someone else. The board will decide on Sunday."

Srinath, 34, retired in November as India's second most successful pace bowler with 236 wickets from 67 Tests. Only Kapil Dev, with 434 wickets, took more.

Srinath also played in 229 one-day internationals in which he took an Indian record of 315 wickets, including 16 in the last World Cup in southern Africa.

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly confirmed on Thursday that a bowling coach would accompany the team when it leaves for Pakistan on March 10 but insisted it would not be Pakistani great Wasim Akram.

Akram helped out Indian bowlers including youngster Irfan Pathan during the Australian tour, a move that drew loud protests in the Pakistani media.

Ganguly, asked at a media conference if a Pakistani fast bowler would be India's bowling coach, said: "If you are referring to Wasim Akram, it is no. It will be an Indian."

Ganguly admitted the upcoming series against Pakistan would be a big challenge for his team.

"Playing Pakistan is not the same as playing another country," the Indian captain said.

"It has a different charm. We can't shy away from the fact that the expectations from fans will be immense. They obviously want us to win. It is up to the cricketers to take the pressure and play their best."

Ganguly dismissed suggestions that Indian batsmen would find it difficult to handle reverse swing, an art mastered by Pakistani fast bowlers such as the retired Akram and the ageing Waqar Younis, who is not in the current reckoning for the forthcoming series.

"Pakistan does not have bowlers of the class of Akram and Waqar," he said. "You worry about reverse swing when the ball moves both ways like Akram was able to do.

"I don't think there is any bowler in the current Pakistan attack who can make the ball reverse swing both ways."