It probably doesn’t exactly fit into my lifestyle – Ricky Ponting on taking India’s head coach role

Former Australian skipper and current Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting has confirmed that he has been approached for India’s coaching role but it doesn’t fit into his lifestyle. It is well known that India’s head coach’s job is demanding as it is almost 10 months of travel with the team, given the side hectic schedule.

Meanwhile, Rahul Dravid has confirmed that he will not be reapplying for the prestigious job after his tenure comes to a close following the end of the upcoming T20 World Cup. 

Coaches like Stephen Fleming, Gautam Gambhir, and Justin Langer have been linked with India’s head coach role. The deadline for the applications is on May 27.

“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 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.

“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.

“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,” he said.

Ponting, who led Delhi Capitals to their first final in IPL 2020, revealed he had a discussion with his son Fletcher about the job offer.

“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'” revealed Ponting.

“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.”