Ricky Ponting Declines Offer to Become India’s Head Coach, Citing Reasons

Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting has turned down an offer to become the head coach of the Indian cricket team, citing that it doesn’t align with his current lifestyle. Ponting, who recently completed his tenure as the head coach of the Delhi Capitals IPL franchise, revealed that he was approached for the position but declined due to the demanding nature of the job.

In an interview with the ICC, Ponting mentioned that while he would love to coach a national team, the role requires a significant time commitment which doesn’t fit into his schedule at the moment. He also highlighted that taking up the Indian coaching job would mean giving up his involvement with an IPL team, which he enjoys.

Ponting discussed the offer with his family, including his son who expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of moving to India. However, Ponting ultimately decided that the timing wasn’t right for him to take on such a demanding role.

Other high-profile names such as Stephen Fleming, Justin Langer, and Gautam Gambhir have also been rumored as potential candidates for the position that will be vacated by Rahul Dravid after India’s T20 World Cup campaign. The BCCI has set a deadline of May 27 for submitting applications for the head coach position.

Despite the speculation surrounding other candidates, Ponting believes it is unlikely for him to take up the role due to his current commitments and lifestyle preferences. The cricketing world will be eagerly awaiting the announcement of the new head coach for the Indian cricket team.