"There were a few little one-on-one conversations" - Ricky Ponting admits to being approached by BCCI for Team India head coach's role

Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has revealed that one-on-one conversations took place regarding Team India's head coach role during IPL 2024. However, Ponting has put himself out of the reckoning as it wouldn't fit into his current lifestyle.

With Rahul Dravid unlikely to reapply as Team India's coach after the T20 World Cup, the BCCI has already invited applications for the same. The likes of Mahela Jayawardene, Stephen Fleming, Gautam Gambhir, and Justin Langer are some of the names in contention.

Speaking in an episode of the ICC Review, Ponting pointed out that being the coach of a national team would mean giving up coaching in the IPL. He also stated that it would keep him away from home for lengthy periods of time.

"I've seen a lot of reports about it,” the Tasmanian said. “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."

He added:

"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."

The two-time World Cup-winning captain has coached Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals in the IPL. He was also part of Australia's support staff during the 2019 World Cup.

"My family and my kids have spent the last 5 weeks over at the IPL with me" - Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting (Image Credits: Getty).

In the same interview, Ponting revealed that his son had strongly urged him to take up the Team India coaching job, given how much his family would love to move to the country for a few years. He added:

"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. 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."

Ponting's Delhi Capitals had their moments in IPL 2024 but eventually ended up in sixth place with 14 points to their name.