Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has refused to coach the Indian cricket team, one of the most lucrative position in the game.
The Indian Cricket Board, currently looking for a new coach, approached Ricky Ponting for coaching during the IPL.
The former Australian cricketer confirmed the Indian cricket board’s contacts and said, “During the Indian Premier League (IPL), there have been small conversations about this, I would love to coach the national team but there is more to life.”
“I want to spend time at home with my family. If you are the coach of the Indian team, then you cannot be a coach in the IPL. Being the coach of the national team means a job spanning 10 or 11 months a year.”
“It doesn’t suit my lifestyle right now, there is still much to enjoy in life, I know the names of Justin Langer, Stephen Fleming and Gautam Gambhir have also come up to coach the Indian team” said Ponting.
Talking about India’s culture he said, “My family likes the cricket culture in India but at the moment, full-time coaching does not fit into my lifestyle.”
Australia won the 2003 and 2007 cricket World Cups and 2006 and 2009 Champions Trophies under his captaincy. He was also a member of the 1999 World Cup winning team.
