Ricky Ponting not in race to be India coach despite being approached
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Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has been the head coach of Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League since 2018 and has television commitments in Australia.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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NEW DELHI – Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting revealed he was approached to be India’s next cricket coach, but said the demands of the high-profile job meant he was unlikely to take it up.
Ponting, 49, has been the head coach of Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2018 and has television commitments in Australia.
He is also the head of strategy at Hobart Hurricanes for Australia’s Big Bash League and head coach of Washington Freedom in the United States Major League Cricket tournament.
He has also filled in as Australia’s T20 coach on an interim basis in the past.
“I’ve seen a lot of reports about it,” Ponting was quoted as saying on May 23 by the International Cricket Council website.
“There were a few little one-on-one conversations during the IPL, just to get a level of interest from me as to whether I would do it. Everyone knows if you take a job working with the Indian team, you can’t be involved in an IPL team, so it would take that out of it,” he added.
Ponting said being a national coach would mean devoting up to 11 months of the year to the job.
“As much as I’d like to do it, it just doesn’t fit into my lifestyle right now and the things that I really enjoy doing,” he added.
The India coach job, currently held by Rahul Dravid, falls vacant after the T20 World Cup in June, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India seeking a replacement until the next 50-over World Cup in 2027.
India have not won a global title since the 2013 Champions Trophy under their last foreign coach, Duncan Fletcher of Zimbabwe.
Former India opener Gautam Gambhir, who has been the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders, is a strong contender, having guided the franchise to the final of the 10-team league this season.
Lucknow Super Giants coach Justin Langer and his Chennai Super Kings counterpart Stephen Fleming, both with strong credentials, are also being linked to the job by the Indian media.
Ponting said his son was excited when he told him about the prospect of becoming the India coach.
“I had a whisper to my son about it, and I said, ‘Dad’s been offered the Indian coaching job’ and he said, ‘Just take it dad, we would love to move over there for the next couple of years’,” Ponting said.
“That’s how much they love being over there and the culture of cricket in India, but right now it probably doesn’t exactly fit into my lifestyle.” AFP, REUTERS
