London. Australia’s World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting has revealed that he was approached for the role of coach with the England Test team before Brendon McCullum took over last year. The composition of the England men’s team was overhauled following an embarrassing 0-4 defeat in last year’s Ashes. McCullum and Matthew Mott replaced Chris Silverwood as the Test and limited overs coaches respectively. The defeat also saw Test captain Joe Root step down as captain, while batting consultant Graham Thorpe and team managing director Ashley Giles also lost their jobs.
Ponting said that he had been approached by Robert Key. Robert was then appointed as the new Director of Men’s Cricket of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). “I was actually asked before McCullum took over. I had a phone call after Robert took over,” Ponting told the ‘Guerrilla Cricket Podcast’.
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Ponting is the head coach of the Indian Premier League team Delhi Capitals. He turned down the offer to become a full-time coach at that time as he wanted to spend more time with his family. Ponting said, “I am not ready to take up the role of full-time coach with the international team. My kids are still young and I don’t want to be away from them for too long. ”””’ Talking about Brendon (McCullum), his family is coming today itself, he said. You cannot travel much when your kids are in school.
