Jay Shah hits back at Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer, denies offering Indian coaching to any Australian cricketer

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is currently looking for a suitable candidate to replace Rahul Dravid as head coach of the Indian cricket team. Dravid’s tenure is all set to end with the conclusion of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies.

It is being said that Dravid refused to reapply for the high-profile job because he is keen to spend time with his family since he will have to spend over 300 days in a year with the Indian cricket team if he takes over the role for the third time.

Meanwhile, some media outlets have been speculating that the BCCI approached Ricky Ponting with the offer of Team India’s head coach role, but the legendary Australian turned the offer down.

A big no from the BCCI to Australian coaches for India

The reports also claimed that two other Aussie greats, Justin Langer and Andy Flower, were also contacted by the world’s richest cricket board for the high-profile job. Apart from Ponting, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) head coach also stressed that the time isn't right for him to take up the "awesome job."

On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) head coach Flower also confirmed he will not apply for the job, while Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming is not reportedly willing to work "for nine-ten months in a year."

Read Also: Justin Langer accuses KL Rahul of provoking him to say NO to BCCI, Jay Shah refutes falls claims

However, now a well-known journalist from the Times of India, Arani Basu, revealed that BCCI secretary Jay Shah quashed all the reports by claiming that they didn’t approach any Australian cricketer for Team India’s head coach role.

Shah said that the reports of BCCI contacting the former Australian cricketers for India’s head coach role are completely fake, as he stressed that finding the right coach for the Men in Blue is a meticulous and thorough process.

BCCI not approached any former Australian cricketer with a coaching offer: Jay Shah

The BCCI secretary also revealed that they are looking for a candidate who has in-depth knowledge of India’s domestic cricket so that he can elevate Team India to the next level. With Shah denying contacting any Aussie for the role, there are high chances of an Indian player replacing Dravid if he does not reapply for the top job.

Jay Shah stated: “Neither I nor the BCCI have approached any former Australian cricketer with a coaching offer. The reports circulating in certain media sections are completely incorrect. Finding the right coach for our national team is a meticulous and thorough process.”

https://x.com/AraniBasuTOI/status/1793867637996593156

He added, “We are focused on identifying individuals who possess a deep understanding of the Indian cricket structure & have risen through the ranks. It's crucial that our coach has an in-depth knowledge of our domestic cricket to truly elevate Team India to the next level.”

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Notably, the Indian cricket team will soon travel to the USA for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, where they will kick off their campaign against Ireland on June 5 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. The Rohit Sharma-led Team India will face Pakistan in the much-anticipated game of the mega event on June 9 at the same venue in New York.