Bowling coach Bruce Reid has excused himself from the Indian cricket team for the time being but would join the squad during the later stages of the ongoing triangular series.Reid had some pressing family and professional commitments which forced him to head back home in Perth after India’s opening one-day encounter against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last week.But the gangling former Australian left-arm bowler said that he would rejoin the team for the last two league matches of the one-day series and if India qualify, stay on for the best-of-three finals.Reid said his written commitment with the Indian team extended only till the Test series but thereafter it has only been a verbal understanding.‘‘Basically, my contract with the Indian team extended only till the Test series,’’ said Reid.‘‘But we had a verbal understanding of continuing the association in the one-day series as well.’’India would miss Reid for the better part of the series - for five of the eight games — before he returns.India’s final two league engagements of the series are in Perth on February 1 against Australia and on February 3 against Zimbabwe. Reid, however, made it clear that he would not be available for India’s tour of Pakistan in March because of prior engagements.Reid said he was yet to get any long-term offer from the Indian cricket board but doubts whether he would be able to juggle with his commitments to squeeze in an Indian association.
