COLOMBO, July 14: If any proof is needed that cricket officials in Asia have lost faith in home-grown coaches, look no further than the six-nation Asia Cup starting here on Friday.

India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the four Test-playing nations taking part in the continent's premier limited-overs tournament, are all coached by men from outside the region.

And the two qualifiers, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, have enlisted the services of two former Indian internationals, Robin Singh and Abid Ali. Defending champions Pakistan are coached by an Englishman Bob Woolmer, India by John Wright of New Zealand, while two Australians look after Sri Lanka (John Dyson) and Bangladesh (Dav Whatmore).

Woolmer, who took over Pakistan after Javed Miandad was sacked in the wake of the defeats against arch-rivals India in March-April, is on his first assignment with his new wards after a successful stint with South Africa.

Others have tasted a reasonable amount of success to suggest that taking foreign help is not such a bad idea after all. Ever since Wright arrived in 2000, India have shown rapid improvement, even beating world champions Australia in a home Test series and reaching the World Cup final in South Africa in March last year.

Under Wright, India have won 16 of their 41 Tests and 59 of 109 One-day Internationals. Dyson, a former Australian opening batsman, came to Sri Lanka after Whatmore quit the former World Cup champions last year to join Bangladesh.

The new coach has led Sri Lanka to 13 wins from 23 one-dayers, but just three wins in 14 Tests. When Australia came calling earlier this year, Dyson saw his countrymen thrash Sri Lanka in all three Test matches.

Whatmore, who masterminded Sri Lanka's World Cup triumph in 1996, has taken up the challenge of improving standards in Bangladesh, who have yet to win a Test match and have been successful in only four of 90 one-dayers they have played.

But the Whatmore magic is beginning to show. Bangladesh look a more competitive side and even held the West Indies to a draw in a Test match in June. Abid Ali, one of India's leading all-rounders, took over the UAE side in 2001 and won the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Trophy for associate nations three times.

Robin Singh, a gutsy all-rounder in the Abid mould, agreed to coach Hong Kong amidst his duties with the junior Indian cricketers. His job is to ensure his band of part-time cricketers are not overawed by the big stage.

Of the six other Test-playing nations, Zimbabwe are coached by Australian Geoff Marsh and England by Zimbabwean Duncan Fletcher. John Buchanan (Australia), John Bracewell (New Zealand), West Indies (Gus Logie) and South Africa (Eric Simons) are all home-grown products. -AFP