'I am used to handling star players'

Dav Whatmore, widely tipped to become India's next cricket coach, on Thursday said he was used to handling star players and was ready for the challenge if given an opportunity to work on the hot seat.

"All I can say is I am ready for the challenge if the opportunity comes. I am as much ready to sink my teeth into the problems and find out a solution as the BCCI would want me to," Whatmore said on the eve of the first Test in Chittagong.

Whatmore, whose contract with Bangladesh comes to an end after the current series, said he had a round of initial discussion with Indian team Cricket Manager Ravi Shastri and that he had replied in the affirmative.

"I had a short discussion with Ravi about taking up the job of coaching India and I have said in the affirmative. The discussion centred around how interested I am. I am satisfied with the initial discussion. We are both satisfied," Whatmore said.

He refused to divulge the details, saying "this is not for public consumption".

Meanwhile, six top members of the BCCI, including its President Sharad Pawar and Secretary Niranjan Shah are slated to arrive in Chittagong on Saturday, and are expected to have discussions with Whatmore.

The 53-year-old Australian, who coached Sri Lanka to the World Cup triumph in 1996 and guided Bangladesh to a good performance in the recent edition of the mega event, said he would have no problem handling the Indian stars.

"It's a question of man-management and how far one wants to take ones career forward and I have to deal with them individually if and when the time comes," he said.