Ryan Harris to coach Brisbane Heat

Harris would be providing his services as a coach to the Brisbane Heat this BBL season.

Retirement has only been a milestone in Ryan Harris’ endless journey on the field, it seems, as after short bursts as a coach with several teams such as Australia A, Queensland, Prime Minister’s XI, and Cricket Australia XI, the pacer is all set for a full-time stint with the Brisbane Heat next year.

The veteran who played just 27 Tests for Australia, in a career marred with injuries, retired on the eve of the Ashes this year. The 113 Test wickets that he took only reveal a bleak picture of what his presence in the team meant for Australia.

"I'm keen to push on with the coaching. In a perfect world, I'd love to have an opportunity to go into a state system," Harris said.

"That's something I feel personally ready for, but the flip side of that is someone's got to offer me a job. We'll see.” "I haven't really sat down with Darren Lehmann, who is a mentor of mine, and Pat Howard and any of the states."

Harris, at the same time, acknowledged that he knew his limitations now, having pushed it on numerous occasions to play that ‘one more Test’ for Australia.

"If it was anything I wasn't ready for, I definitely wouldn't do it – because it can turn badly pretty quickly as a coach," he said.

"I don't want to get a bad reputation when it's the first (full-time) job I get."

The 36-year-old is the perfect match for the profession that requires extreme levels of commitment, resilience and passion, and has also mentored the Brisbane Heat bowlers when Darren Lehmann was the coach.

He will be resuming his ties with the Heat for the 2015-16 Big Bash League (BBL) season.

The former Queensland bowler would also be joining the likes of Daniel Vettori and Shane Bond in the Heat coaching camp, and is excited to learn from them. "I'm lucky to have such a great opportunity. They'll be great to learn off," Harris said.

"Dan I know reasonably well, Shane I don't know at all, so it will be interesting to get another opinion on how he coaches and what he does."

He would joining the squad in Hobart before their clash against the Hobart Hurricanes, but would stay in Brisbane for the rest of the tournament.