With his enthusiasm for the game still very much alive, Borde assured that he was looking forward to doing his duty for the betterment of the game.

Wife Vijaya gave him the good news when he returned home at 4 p.m.

``I read in one of the regional papers that I had a chance to take charge of the post for the second time. But there was a question mark,'' Borde said.

The 65-year-old former skipper of the India side, attending to a spate of calls congratulating him on his appointment, said: ``In the past there have been such calls whenever the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) meets and I thought the first ones that came in today were similar false alarms.''

Emphasising on team selections, he made it clear that it would be talent and not experience alone that would be considered. ``Talent comes first and the rest follows, he stated. ``And with ex-cricketers in the selection panel I'm sure that things will work out fine,'' he opined.

Taking the assignment as a challenge, Borde, a consultant with Premier Automobiles in Pune said, ``I love a challenge and I'm prepared for the job. Now that I have retired (on July 21 this year) I have lot of time to spare for the game.''

Reacting to the choice of Kapil Dev as the coach of the team, Borde was confident that the team would do better. ``Kapil is a fighter and a task master when it comes to fitness and with Sachin Tendulkar, also a fighter, there can be a lot of change in the team.''

Chandu Borde made his Test debut in 1958-59 against the West Indies and has played 55 Tests.Borde who enjoyed an eventful tenure as chairman of selectors was then named manager of the Indian team under Krishnamachari Srikkanth's captaincy to Pakistan in 1989. Earlier he was entrusted with the same job in the year 1984-86.

Borde assumes position when New Zealand take on President's XI in their three-day tour opener in Pune from October 3. Mrs Borde appeared more thrilled than her husband and with good reason. Vijaya explained: ``When Chandu played for the country, we wives were not allowed to travel with the team. Now that he has another opportunity, I shall travel with him where ever he goes.''