Indian Cricket Team: Why did Ricky Ponting Turn Down India Coaching Job?

Former Australia captain and current Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting was reportedly approached by BCCI for the India coach role.

The Indian team released an advertisement for the senior team's coaching job as Rahul Dravid's tenure ends with the T20 World Cup 2024. Dravid signed an extension after the World Cup 2023 but BCCI decided not to renew that.

As Dravid looks certain to not even apply for another tenure, the apex body of Indian cricket has been looking for Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's next professor. Many names have popped up for the role, with Ricky Ponting's name also floating around.

And now the Australian has revealed that he was indeed approached by BCCI during the IPL 2024. Ponting, who finished 6th in the IPL with Delhi Capitals this season, has said to ICC that he had a few one-on-one conversations for the job.

"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.

"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," Ponting told ICC.

But Ponting has also confirmed that he won't be taking the job. The former World Cup-winning captain (twice) has turned down the high-profile job to manage the Indian cricket team.

Why has Ricky Ponting declined the India Coach Job?

Ricky Ponting has gave light to his decision of turning down the India job. The Australian said to ICC that although he wants to be a national team coach one day, his present lifestyle doesn't suit the job as it will take him away from his family for the majority of the time.

"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," Ponting added.

Apart from Ponting, another Australian Justin Langer has reportedly been approached by BCCI for the job. CSK head coach Stephen Fleming is in the fray while KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir is said to a frontrunner.