Ricky Ponting, the former Australian captain and renowned batsman, disclosed that he was approached for the position of head coach for Team India during the current season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, he declined the offer as it doesn’t align with his current priorities of spending more time with his family.
Ponting’s revelation follows the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) inviting applications for the position of men’s national team head coach earlier this month. The tenure for this role is set to commence from July 1 of this year until December 31, 2027, coinciding with the next 50-over Cricket World Cup.
Recently concluding his seventh season as coach of the Delhi Capitals in the IPL, Ponting had a mixed experience in this year’s tournament as his team narrowly missed the playoffs, securing sixth place with seven wins, seven losses, and 14 points.
Although Ponting has previously coached in the IPL with Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi and served as Australia’s national T20I coach on an interim basis, he has resisted committing to the demands of coaching a high-profile national team on a full-time basis.
However, with Rahul Dravid’s tenure as India’s head coach ending after this year’s T20 World Cup in June, and the team in search of a new leader, Ponting is among several former cricketing greats who have been approached for the role.
Ponting acknowledged the discussions about the coaching role, stating that while he would love to be a senior coach for a national team, the demands of the position, coupled with his personal commitments, don’t currently align with his lifestyle and interests.
Other names, such as Justin Langer and Stephen Fleming, have also been linked to the India coaching job, but Ponting deems it unlikely for himself due to his existing priorities.
Ponting shared a light-hearted moment when he discussed the idea of becoming India’s coach with his son, Fletcher, who expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of relocating to India. However, Ponting ultimately concluded that the role doesn’t fit into his current lifestyle.
Despite his family’s enjoyment of spending time in India, Ponting remains focused on his personal priorities and commitments.