Gerhard Rach, who was India's chief hockey coach at the Athens Olympics has been retained for the team's tour of Pakistan, an Indian Hockey Federation official said in Delhi on Friday.

Rach, who returned to Germany after India's seventh place finish in the Olympics hockey tournament, is expected arrive in Delhi on Friday night and will head for Chandigarh, where the probables for the Pakistan series are training under the supervision of assistant coach Jagbir Singh.

"Rach will continue and will be the chief coach during the Pakistan tour," said an IHF official.

An 18-member Indian team for the four-match Test series, starting at Karachi on September 24, is likely to be announced in a couple of days.

The official said defender William Xalco, who suffered a finger fracture during the Olympics, has recovered fully and is available for selection.

However, the team will be without senior players Dhanraj Pillay and Baljit Singh Dhillon, who both made themselves unavailable for the series, and forwards Gagan Ajit Singh, Deepak Thakur and Prabhjot Singh.

The team is scheduled to leave for Karachi on September 22.