The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is looking for a top candidate to take Rahul Dravid’s place as the head coach of the Indian team. Dravid’s tenure as head coach expires in June, and he has expressed his disinterest in staying on. With many candidates in the fray, DC coach and former Australian batter Ricky Ponting has revealed that he was approached for the Indian coach’s role by the BCCI. However, Ponting also said that he does not want to involve himself with the rigour that International cricket demands.
Ricky Ponting rejects offer
After seven seasons in the Indian Premier League as coach of the Delhi Capitals, Ponting, a former captain of Australia, had mixed results this season, with his team just missing out on the playoffs.
“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 the 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.
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“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,” Ponting added.
Other names: Some in fray, some rejected opportunity
Apart from Ponting, several other names ranging from Stephen Fleming to Gautam Gambhir have been doing rounds on social media. Many others have already rejected the offer to be India Head Coach. The names include outgoing coach Rahul Dravid, former Aussie batter Justin Langer and Zimbabwean international Andy Flower.
With the deadline for application fast approaching, it remains to be seen who finally dons the Indian coach’s hat.
