By the time you read this, the former Indian Test star turned manager will be on board a flight carrying him to Kenya.

His brief - to coach the Kenyan national side from now right through to the ICC Trophy tournament in Malaysia next April, which will decide the qualifiers, from among the non-regular members of the ICC, for the 1999 World Cup in England.

Interestingly, Patil - who, during the off season in India , plays club cricket in Nairobi - will take over from another Indian, Hanumant Singh, as coach of the Kenyan side. Singh was in charge of the side till the completion of the Wills World Cup earlier this year, and had handed over to stand-in coach and former India wicket-keeper Chandrakant Pandit for the four nation tournament in Kenya last month. Patil will thus take over, on a regular contract, from Pandit.

``In many ways, this is going to be a challenge as well,'' said Patil.

Asked about his very short stint as India's cricket manager, Patil spoke with an evident absence of bitterness. ``I guess I could do only half the job I had been picked for, before the board terminated my contract after the England tour. I was supposed to be coach for a year, but only got six months. I guess they were dissatisfied with my performance. Anyway, it was a decision I respected then, it is a decision I respect today.''

And how does he view his latest assignment? ``It's a bit like going back to school,'' smiles Patil. ``I've got to start all over again. Coach the national side of a member nation, then if I do well I will hopefully be asked to coach the Indian junior side, then maybe the senior slot will open up to me again say three years from now, or maybe even ten years, who knows? I would love to take up the job of coaching the Indian side, it's the greatest challenge I ever had.''