The former Australian captain and coach is now seeking to become the first man to steer two countries to the one-day throne.

He's guiding India's resurgence as the squad's technical advisor, which makes him a crucial cog in the team management besides coach Anshuman Gaekwad.

Simpson's arrival to the Indian camp last year completely altered the team's outlook and his recipe has instilled a focused sense of purpose in a side which tended to fade away from winning situations.

Returning to the venue of its title triumph in 1983, India is among the leading six World Cup contenders. Simpson has managed to curb the easy going attitude in the immensely-talented side to give it an ``attitude''.

``The spirit and enthusiasm in the Indian team is simply fantastic,'' says Simpson. ``It's a naturally gifted side and all they need is to remainfocussed.

``Take my word, the boys' have acquired an attitude. They won't throw away the matches any more.''

And the change has come from just getting the basics right. ``All they need to do is to stay with the basics and success will follow,'' says Simpson, who has a firm belief that orthodox methods can reap a rich dividend even in this age of tactical innovation.

Simpson's tactics and the Indian resolve will be put to test tomorrow against South Africa's English import Bob Woolmer, who has added a new dimension to coaching with his computer knowledge.

With his laptop aiding his instincts, Woolmer has propelled the art of coaching into the computer age. But his spirited team faces a stiff contest of nerves with Simpson leading the Indians.

The most visible effects of Simpson's influence on the Indian team is shaking it out of its tendency to surrender winning situations and the drastically improved fielding. Indifferent fielding has been one for India's major drawbacks for long, but not anymore.

``Bob (Simpson) is very, very particular about fine tuning the fielding,'' says coach Gaekwad. ``His innovative ideas have evoked the boys' interest by making the fielding training sessions interesting.

``This has changed the boys' approach... The effect is amazing. The training has been designed to produce better all-round cricket.'' The Indian officials landed a prize catch in Simpson, but his appointment as the Indian team's technical advisor caused a controversy back home in Australia, the news breaking out on the eve of the Australian team's tour of India.

Simpson, however, did not join the Indian team until a while later and his business commitments have only allowed time for short-term training camps, quite different from his long haul as an Australian coach.

Simpson's arrival doubled the Australian input into the Indian team, trainer Andrew Kokinos being the other part of the two-pronged support from Down Under.

India is just one of the several teams in the World Cup whose fortunes arebeing guided by foreign coaches, a trend which has become immensely popular since another Australian Dave Whatmore provided the technical inputs that saw Sri Lanka surge to the top three years ago.

Besides India, three other leading teams have foreign coaches shaping their destiny.

Former England Test cricketer Woolmer has had a long stint as South Africa's coach and is to quit the job at the end of the World Cup.

New Zealand has another Australian, Steve Rixon at the helm for three years and he too is to lay down office this summer, following the Test series in England that follows the World Cup.

Pakistan's coaching has been assigned to two new men after Javed Miandad suddenly quit on the eve of the team's departure for England. South African coach Richard Pybus is now aiding chief coach Mushtaq Mohammed's efforts.

Among the minnows, Bangladesh has former West Indies opener Gordon Greenidge in charge and Kenya is coached by another West Indian, Alvin Kallicharran.