Ricky Ponting Refused The Offer To Become Head Coach Of Team India - Reports

Team India will be in need of a new head coach as Ravi Shastri’s tenure comes to an end after the T20 World Cup 2021. Though the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has zeroed in on former captain Rahul Dravid, reports suggested that the Indian board had approached Australia legend Ricky Ponting for the role as well.

Ricky Ponting has had coaching experience in both the Australia team and in the IPL as well, where he first coached the Mumbai Indians when they won the title in 2015 and then took over as the head coach of Delhi Capitals. DC has managed to reach the finals of the IPL 2020 in UAE and recently made the playoffs in the IPL 2021 as well.

Now a report in Times of India confirmed that the board approached two-time World Cup-winning captain, Ricky Ponting, for the job but he refused. The reasons for him saying no to the job aren’t known.

Rahul Dravid Says Yes To Becoming The Next Indian Head Coach; Likely To Get A Two-Year Contract

After Ricky Ponting’s alleged refusal to consider becoming the next head coach of the Indian team, the BCCI managed a coup of sorts as they got a yes from the former India captain and National Cricket Academy (NCA) head Rahul Dravid, who had agreed to take the position and is expected to be offered a two-year contract which runs up to the ICC World Cup 2023 which will be played in India.

Dravid has been in BCCI set up for 7 years now, coaching the India A and U19 teams. He even guided the India U19 team to the 2018 Youth World Cup win under the captaincy of Prithvi Shaw and recently was seen in the head coach post of the Indian team which toured Sri Lanka for the six white-ball matches in July.

Dravid will have to give up the NCA’s role before joining Team India’s backroom staff. The India great is likely to kick off his innings as head coach with the home series against New Zealand, which starts soon after the T20 World Cup 2021. He is also expected to give inputs with regards to the hiring of the new support staff as well, as the Indian team will need a new bowling coach and fielding coach as well.

Also Read: MSK Prasad Calls Rahul Dravid The Best Candidate To Coach Indian Team