Maharaj Kumar Kaushik is likely to be the new national men’s hockey team coach for two years, according to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) sources.

The IOA ad hoc committee on hockey, which met here on Tuesday, decided to appoint the veteran coach but held back the announcement as the IOA president Suresh Kalmadi was not in the capital.

The five members of the selection committee — Ajitpal Singh, Ashok Kumar, Aslam Sher Khan,

Zafar Iqbal and Dhanraj Pillay — were also present at the meeting.

“A formal announcement will be made very shortly,” said a member of the selection committee.

“While Harendra Singh is likely to be Kaushik’s deputy, A.K. Bansal will remain in charge of the junior team. A.K. Subbaiah will be the goalkeepers’ coach.” Kaushik, when contacted, said he was yet to have an official meeting with the ad hoc committee. “I have no problem in taking up the job,” he said.

“The appointment has to be cleared by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), where I am on deputation at the moment.” Kaushik, a former international, is considered one of India ’s best coaches. In 1998, he coached India to the gold medal in the Bangkok Asian Games before being dumped by the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) along with six other top players of the team.

Sources said that Kaushik was initially reluctant to take up the job as he wanted a long-term contract.

“The elections for the new IHF office bearers are due in December. What will I do if the new body decides to throw me out?”he reportedly asked the ad hoc committee members over telephone.

The ad hoc committee has assured Kaushik that he would continue to be the national team coach till the 2010 World Cup.