I got asked before McCullum: Ricky Ponting's sensational claim, says he was offered England Test coach job
Ashes 2023 - Ricky Ponting reveals he was offered England Test coach job (Photo | AFP/Twitter).
England and Australia produced a memorable match when both sides locked horns in the recently-concluded first Test of Ashes 2023 at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Despite being aggressive and proactive from the word go, Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum-led England lost by two wickets andconceded a 1-0 lead to Australia.
The defeat was England's third in the Bazball-era since McCullum took over as the Test coach. Ahead of the second Test, at Lord's, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting dropped a bombshell. Punter revealed in a recent interaction that he was offered England's Test coach job before McCullum.
'I'm not ready for a full-time coaching job'
Ponting told Guerilla Cricket, "I actually got asked before Brendon took the job."
"I did take some calls from Robert Key as soon as he took over that job. But I'm just not ready for a full-time international coaching job, where I'm at in my life. Having traveled as much as I have, with young kids now I just don't want to be away as much as I was."
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"And even talking to Brendon, his family is only just arriving today. When you've got kids that are in school, moving them around, that's not what I want to do," he added.
It would have been very interesting had Ponting agreed to coach Australia's arch-rival team in world cricket. At present, England are doing pretty well in the red-ball format ever since McCullum took overlast year. They have beaten teams like India and South Africa at home, whitewashed Pakistan in Pakistan, drew a two-match series versus hosts New Zealand early this year and now have a litmus test in the remainder ofAshes 2023.
England will certainly look to back their attacking style of play and aim tolevel the series in the second Test at Lord's, starting next week.
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