(Cricket News) There were speculations that the former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was offered the role of India’s next head coach. Ponting has now revealed that he was indeed approached to take over from Rahul Dravid, but said it didn’t fit into his “lifestyle right now”.
BCCI is looking for a new head coach for the Indian men’s team as Rahul Dravid’s tenure is about to end post the T20 World Cup next month. Ponting’s name is one of several being floated around, along with Justin Langer, Stephen Fleming and Gautam Gambhir. Applications for the same will be accepted till the 27th of May.
“I’ve seen a lot of reports about it. Normally these things pop up on social media before you even know about them, but 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,” Ponting told ICC.
“I’d love to be a senior coach of a national team, but with the other things that I have in my life and wanting to have a bit of time at home…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 as well.
“Also, a national head coach is a 10 or 11-month of the year job, and 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.
“I’ve seen a few other names thrown about as well. Justin Langer’s name got thrown in yesterday, Stephen Fleming’s name has been thrown about a little bit. Gautam Gambhir’s name has been thrown around a little bit the last couple of days as well. But I think it’d be unlikely for me just on the reasons that I’ve given there,” he said.
Ponting is currently working as the head coach of Delhi Capitals and has been involved with the side for quite sometime now. He however hasn’t been in a long-term coach role up until now and isn’t expected to take any such role for now.
Ponting, who has had his family with him during his coaching stint with DC, added that he did tell his son Fletcher about the job offer.
“My family and my kids have spent the last five weeks over at the IPL with me and they come over every year and 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'” revealed Ponting.
“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.”
