‘I Actually Was Asked Before Brendon’: Ricky Ponting's Shocking Claim On England's Head Coach Offer

Ponting stated that Rob Key had contacted him and given him the offer of a head coach of the England team.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting looks on during day two of the LV= Insurance Ashes 1st Test Match between England and Australia at Edgbaston.

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Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting disclosed that he was approached for the position of England men's Test team head coach before Brendon McCullum took the onus. After an embarrassing 4-0 Ashes loss in Australia in 2022, England's head coach Chris Silverwood, batting mentor Graham Thorpe, and managing director Ashley Giles had to leave their positions while Joe Root stepped down as a skipper.

In April 2022, Rob Key took charge as the  ECB's director of men's cricket and the next month he asked former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum to join the English team as a Test coach. England has been playing aggressive cricket and that style has been termed 'Bazball,' with Ben Stokes as captain and McCullum as coach.  They have played 14 Test matches and lost only three games.

Ponting stated that Rob Key had contacted him and given him the offer of a head coach of the England team. Ponting on the other hand is currently giving his services as a coach to the IPL team Delhi Capitals and has also worked with former Australian coach Justin Langer during the 2019 World Cup in England.

"I actually got asked before Brendon took the job," Ponting told Guerilla Cricket this week.

"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.

"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."

Talking about the ongoing Ashes 2023, England lost the game in Edgbaston earlier this week as they suffered a two-wicket defeat. The second Ashes Test is set to start at the Lord's on Wednesday.