RICKY Ponting appears unlikely to apply for the vacant NSW and Sydney Sixers coaching positions despite his instant success in the Indian Premier League.
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The timing of Trevor Bayliss’ departure to join England just a couple of days after Ponting had won the IPL appeared to create an ideal coaching opportunity for Mowbray’s former Test captain who spent most of his playing career living in Sydney.
But reports suggest the 40-year-old father-of-three would be reluctant to abandon his Big Bash League punditry for a deeper move into coaching or leave his family base in Melbourne.
Ponting’s status as one of the most respected tacticians in Australian cricket was reinforced by him leading Mumbai to the IPL crown in his first season as coach and sparked speculation about possible appointments.
An article on Cricket Australia’s website named Ponting as a frontrunner for the vacant NSW coaching gigs, with former Tasmanian assistant Ali de Winter among other candidates.
‘‘You never say never, as far as these bigger jobs are concerned,’’ said Ponting, who retired as a player in October 2013.
‘‘All of sudden ... with a few wins for the team in the IPL people are starting to talk about me being a future international coach, or whatever else.
‘‘The game is in my blood and competing is in my blood. I want to do the best I can do to keep enjoying that competitive feeling, because ... you can’t go from being such a high-level performer and competitor to nothing. You’ve got to have something competitive like that in your life.’’
While Ponting relished the two months he spent leading Mumbai it is believed the stint did not sufficiently whet his appetite for coaching to break his commentary commitments, with Sky Sports in England for the Ashes and Channel Ten for the BBL.
Dave Barham, Ten’s head of sport, admitted Ponting would make "an unbelievable coach" but was contracted to be part of its BBL coverage until at least the 2016-17 season, having extended his initial two-year deal a year ago.
‘‘I have no doubt he’ll be offered many coaching jobs,’’ Barham said.
‘‘It looks to me like it interests him, and it would be a waste if he didn’t.’’
Barham said Ponting was loving his commentary duties with Ten.
‘‘I think he’s enjoying it because he has a big say in how we do it.’’
‘‘He’s working with three of his best mates [Adam Gilchrist, Damien Fleming and Mark Waugh] ... and they’re just as funny off the camera as they are on it."
Meanwhile, De Winter has been searching for another coaching position since his role as limited-overs bowling coach for Australia’s men’s team ended in January.
He has held development roles in Tasmania and Western Australia.