By saying that the new head coach of India should have a “deep understanding” of the national game, BCCI secretary Jay Shah hinted on Friday that the person replacing Rahul Dravid might be an Indian, in response to claims that the Board has approached any former Australian cricket player. Despite Dravid supposedly telling the board he is not interested in a third stint, former Australian players Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer have claimed they have turned down applications for the important position.
“Neither the BCCI nor I have made a coaching offer to any former Australian cricket player. Shah released a statement saying, “The reports that are making the rounds in some sections of the media are totally untrue.
Both Ponting and Langer are involved in the Indian Premier League as the head coaches of Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants respectively. World Cup-winning former batting star Gautam Gambhir, who is currently mentoring Kolkata Knight Riders, is speculated to be among the top contenders for the post right now.
“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,” Shah said.
23rd May – Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer declined the BCCI’s offer to Head Coach team India.
24th May – Jay Shah confirms the BCCI did not contact any Australian for the Head Coach post. pic.twitter.com/0zDYluDLN1
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 24, 2024
The BCCI secretary also said that having in-depth knowledge of Indian domestic cricket will be one of the important criteria for appointing the next coach. He said the understanding would be crucial to “truly elevate Team India to the next level.” Ponting had claimed on Thursday that he was approached to take over the role but said that he declined as it did not fit with his “lifestyle” right now.
Ponting told ICC review, “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.” “I’d love to be a senior coach of a national team, but with the other things that I have in my life and wanting to have a bit of time at home…everyone knows if you take a job working with the Indian team you can’t be involved in an IPL team, so it would take that out of it as well,” he said.
Taking up the job of coaching India also implies spending 10-11 months away from home but Ponting said his family seemed ready for it.
“…I had a whisper to my son about it, and I said, ‘Dad’s been offered the Indian coaching job’ and he said, ‘Just take it, dad, we would love to move over there for the next couple of years'” he said.
“That’s how much they love being over there and the culture of cricket in India, but right now it probably doesn’t exactly fit into my lifestyle,” Ponting said.
Meanwhile, Langer, who had remained noncommittal about applying for India coaching role after IPL clash between LSG and Mumbai Indians, said he would “never say never” but at the same time revealed receiving crucial advice from Lucknow skipper KL Rahul.
Langer told BBS Stumped Podcast, ”It would be an amazing job. I also know that it’s an all-encompassing role, and having done it for four years with the Australian team, honestly, it’s exhausting. And that’s the Australian job.” “You never say never. And the pressure of doing it in India… I was talking to KL Rahul and he said, ‘You know, if you think there’s pressure and politics in an IPL team, multiply that by a thousand, (that is) coaching India. That was a good bit of advice, I guess,” Langer said.
“It would be an awesome job, but not for me at the moment,” he added.
Andy Flower, the head coach of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and a former England player, has also ruled himself out of the running, stating that he is content to continue coaching franchise cricket for the time being.
Similar remarks have been made for Stephen Fleming by Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan, who claims the former captain of New Zealand will not be amenable to accepting a position requiring him to work “nine-ten months a year.”
Given the level of support the national team receives, Shah called the role of head coach for India the most prestigious in all of international cricket and said it requires a high degree of professionalism.
“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,” he said.
“Our rich history, passion for the game make this one of the most lucrative jobs in the world. 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.
“Catering to the aspirations of a billion fans is a huge honour and the BCCI will pick the right candidate, capable of propelling Indian cricket forward,” Shah added.
