Australian legend Ricky Ponting has made a stunning revelation amidst BCCI's ongoing hunt for the new Indian head coach as Rahul Dravid's tenure comes to an end after the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup 2024 which is set to be held in the United States and West Indies. The former cricketer revealed that he did indeed receive an offer from the Indian board and even his son wants him to take this job.
Ricky Ponting reveals receiving coaching offer from BCCI
Ponting said that he would love to take up this role but once again the hectic schedule of the Indian cricket team has left a legend cold feet from taking the job. He believes that this role just won't fit his current lifestyle.
"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. 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," Ponting told ICC.
Ponting has been the coach of the Delhi Capitals for seven seasons and has previously even been with the Mumbai Indians coaching staff. He was also Australia's Interim national T20I coach in the past but has always resisted taking up a full-time coaching role with a high-profile national side.
"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," said Ponting while talking about the other rumoured candidates.
Ponting's son urges father to become Indian coach
Ponting revealed that his family loves the time they spend in India during the IPL phase. He also revealed that his son wants him to take the role of the Indian coach after he told him about the offer from BCCI.
"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’(Ponting laughed). 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," Ponting concluded.
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