Ricky Ponting's Surprising Reason for Saying No to BCCI's Offer!

Ricky Ponting Confirms BCCI Offered Him India Head Coach Job but He Said No: 'Gambhir, Langer, Fleming...'

Ricky Ponting said he is not interested in becoming India's head coach despite being approached by the BCCI.

The famous Australian cricketer and current head coach of the Delhi Capitals, Ricky Ponting, confirmed that the BCCI asked him to replace Rahul Dravid as the coach of Team India after this year’s T20 World Cup in the Americas. However, it is unlikely that he would accept the offer.

"I've seen a lot of reports about it,” Ponting told the ICC. “Usually, these things appear on social media before you even know about them, but there were a few private conversations during the IPL, just to gauge my interest in the role."

If Ponting becomes India's head coach, he would need to end his connection with DC, which he is not willing to do. The constant travel required for the job also made the former Australian captain hesitant.

"I'd love to be a senior coach of a national team, but with my other commitments and wanting some time at home… everyone knows if you work with the Indian team, you can't be involved in an IPL team, so that would be another factor.

"Also, a national head coach job is a 10 or 11-month a year role, and as much as I'd like to do it, it just doesn't fit into my lifestyle right now and the things I really enjoy doing," he said.

Gambhir, Langer, and Fleming in the Race to Become India Head Coach

The BCCI started approaching big names in the IPL after Dravid stated he would not reapply after his extended contract ends with the T20 World Cup. The former India captain and his support staff were given an extension till the T20 World Cup by the BCCI after their original contracts expired last November.

Ponting was one of the prominent names considered by the BCCI due to his vast experience as a player and coach. Other names approached by the BCCI include Justin Langer (Lucknow Super Giants head coach), Stephen Fleming (Chennai Super Kings head coach), Gautam Gambhir (Kolkata Knight Riders head coach), and Mahela Jayawardene (Mumbai Indians director of cricket).

"I've seen a few other names mentioned as well. Justin Langer's name came up yesterday, Stephen Fleming’s name has been mentioned a bit," Ponting noted.

"Gautam Gambhir’s name has also been mentioned recently. But I think it's unlikely for me for the reasons I've given."

The last date to apply for India's head coach position is May 27. After reviewing the applications, the BCCI will invite the selected candidates for an interview with the Cricket Advisory Committee, which includes Sulakshana Naik, Ashok Malhotra, and Jatin Paranjape.