Former Indian cricketer Manoj Prabhakar has been appointed head coach of the national cricket team of Nepal.

The 59-year-old former India all-rounder will take over the hot seat that went vacant after Canadian coach Pubudu Dassanayake stepped down on July 20, only seven months after his appointment into a two-year tenure citing personal reasons.

Prabhakar will be the third coach of Nepal in the last 20 months following former Sri Lankan World Cup winning coach Dav Whatmore and Dassanayake, both of whom quit without completing their tenure.

Prabhakar has been offered a year-long contract, according to CAN president Chatur Bahadur Chand.

“He will arrive in Nepal within the next four-five days,” said Chand, adding that the cricket governing body is hopeful that he would remain in the position at least for the contract period.

“Though the last two coaches did not stay to complete their contract period, Prabhakar has promised that he would not breach the contract from his side.”

Prabhakar, who played 39 Test matches and 130 One-Day Internationals for India, is likely to have first assignment in Kenya where Nepal are expected to play five Twenty20 International and few One-Day games.

Prabhakar was appointed Afghanistan’s bowling coach ahead of their 2016 World T20 campaign. He has also worked as bowling coach for Ranji side Delhi and head coach of Rajasthan.

“Seeing the interest for cricket in Nepal, their talent and skill level, I am really looking forward to working with the Nepal cricket team to make them into a cricketing force to be reckoned with,” he was quoted as saying at a CAN statement.

The former all-rounder made his ODI debut for India in April 1984 against Sri Lanka and was included in the Test squad for the first time in December the same year against England. He played his last ODI against Sri Lanka in 1996 and last Test against New Zealand in 1995. He also played first-class cricket for Delhi and domestic cricket for Durham in England.

In 1996, Prabhakar was dragged into a match fixing controversy after expressing his dissatisfaction publicly over his exclusion from the Indian team. According to crickbuzz.com, he accused then India captain Mohammad Azharuddin of match fixing. In 1999, Prabhakar himself was charged of match fixing and was banned by Indian cricket board BCCI, essentially ending his international career.