Denying Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting’s claims that he had conversations with BCCI regarding assuming the role of Indian cricket team’s head coach, BCCI Secretary Jay Shah said neither he nor the Board has approached any Australian cricketer for the role.
Responding to the developments, Jay Shah said, “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. We are focused on identifying individuals who possess a deep understanding of the Indian cricket structure and have risen through the ranks. It's crucial that our coach has an in-depth knowledge of our domestic cricket framework to truly elevate Team India to the next level,” ANI reported.
Shah added, “When we talk about international cricket, no role is more prestigious than that of the head coach of the Indian Cricket Team. Team India commands the largest fan base globally, enjoying support that is truly unrivalled. The role demands a high level of professionalism as one gets to nurture some of the best cricketers in the world and an assembly line of talented cricketers to follow.” Jay Shah said catering to the aspirations of billion fans is a huge honour and the Board of Control for Cricket in India “will pick the right candidate, capable of propelling Indian cricket forward”.
The tenure of current head coach Rahul Gandhi ends in June, once the T20 World Cup is over. Recently, responding to ICC regarding the speculations of him taking over as head coach, Ricky Ponting said, “I've seen a lot of reports about it. 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.”
Ponting said the role doesn’t fit his lifestyle now. “A national head coach is a 10 or 11-month 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."
