Ponting & Langer rule themselves out of India job

Australia greats Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer have ruled themselves of becoming India's next head coach.

The contract of current coach Rahul Dravid, 51, runs out at the end of the T20 World Cup next month and India have invited applications for the position.

Ponting, who currently coaches Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League, said he has held talks about the role but did not want to commit.

Former Australia coach Langer told the BBC he was not ready to take another international job.

"I know that it's an all-encompassing role and having done it for four years with the Australian team it's exhausting," Langer told the Stumped podcast.

Langer, 53, left his position with Australia in 2022 amid reported unrest over his leadership style, external, despite winning the T20 World Cup and the Ashes.

He took over as Lucknow Super Giants head coach in the IPL this season.

Ponting, who captained Australia's Test side between 2004 and 2011, also works as head of strategy at the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League and as head coach of Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket.

"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," Ponting, 49, told the International Cricket Council.

"Also, a national head coach is a 10 or 11-month of the year job, and as much as I'd like to do it, it just doesn't fit into my lifestyle right now and the things that I really enjoy doing."