Both candidates currently hold posts with English county sides

Emburey and Ford have been given permission by their respective English counties, Middlesex and Kent, to talk to the India Cricket Board.

"The BCCI has invited Graham Ford and John Emburey to come to Chennai and make a presentation," a spokesman said.

"After that a final decision on the next coach of India team will be made."

Ford was previously national team coach in his native South Africa from 1999 to 2001, guiding them to nine series wins out of 11, with just two defeats against Australia.

606: DEBATE Who should India appoint?

The 46-year-old was appointed as Kent's director of cricket in January 2005 and last year signed a contract extension tying him to the club until the end of the 2008 season.

"We have allowed him to travel to India to find out more about the role," said Kent chief Paul Millman.

But he added: "Graham has done a fantastic job for us and we very much hope he will stay with the club."

For Ford to leave Kent with the job half done would be a bit of a blow Former Kent skipper David Fulton

After an innings defeat at Sussex in the opening Championship match this year, Kent have recovered steadily, avenging the Sussex defeat and also beating Surrey by an innings.

In the one-day arena they are currently top of the FP Trophy southern division.

David Fulton, who was captain under Ford at Kent, admitted his departure would be "a blow" to the club.

"Kent worked pretty tirelessly to get him in the first place, so for him to leave the club with the job half done would be a bit of a blow," Fulton told BBC Sport.

"Kent are just starting to see the fruits of his labour - they are just beginning to look like a competitive unit, and he's also got a good partnership with [current skipper] Rob Key.

"They've also got a lot of South Africans in the team - Andrew Hall, Martin van Jaarsveld and Ryan McLaren - and that's been a channel Kent have used almost exhaustively.

"It will be tougher to do without Fordy at the helm, although some might argue it's a good thing because they think there are too many South Africans at Kent."

Emburey, 54, was formerly Middlexsex coach but became director of cricket following the club's double relegation in 2006. He also has three years experience as coach of Northants.

Middlesex chief executive Vinny Codrington told BBC Sport the former England off-spinner, who played 64 Tests and 61 one-day internationals between 1978 and 1995, telephoned him on Tuesday morning to reveal India officials had been in contact.

"My personal feeling is that from a career perspective he owes it to himself to at least go and see what they have got to say," he said.

"I think they did make a tentative approach to John a couple of years ago so I am not 100% surprised. I know that they are very fond of John."