BCCI Denies Approaching Australians for Coaching Role: Jay Shah
Former Australia captain, Ricky Ponting, disclosed during The ICC Review that he had ‘one-on-one conversations during the IPL’ about his potential interest in a coaching role.
Justin Langer, the former opener and head coach of Australia, was also rumored to be considered for the role according to media reports.
However, Jay Shah, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), denied these claims, stating that the board had not approached any Australians.
“Neither I nor the BCCI have approached any former Australian cricketer with a coaching offer,” Shah clarified in a statement. “The reports circulating in certain media sections are completely incorrect.”
“Finding the right coach for our national team is a meticulous and thorough process. We are focused on identifying individuals who possess a deep understanding of the Indian cricket structure and have risen through the ranks.”
In the conversation for the India coaching job, Ricky Ponting addresses speculation as India look beyond the #T20WorldCup.
Ponting, who didn’t specify if it was anyone from the BCCI who spoke to him, said the multiple conversations he had made him reconsider his career and life priorities.
“I’ve seen a lot of reports about it,” Ponting said, when asked if he’d be interested in the role. “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.”
Rahul Dravid’s tenure as India head coach is set to conclude after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in June.
The tournament is scheduled to commence on 1 June in the West Indies and the USA.