England ‘to target Australia legend Ponting’ as Test coach after Key appointment

04/18/2022

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting is reportedly being targeted to coach England 's Test team, with new Managing Director of Men's Cricket Rob Key expected to split the job between red and white ball cricket.

Key, who was recently announced as Ashley Giles' permanent replacement, has previously spoken of his belief that England need two separate coaches. Speaking to Sky Sports back in February, Key said: "I would split the coaching.

"Not because it's a lot of work but because it's two very different teams at two different times. The [white-ball] team could do with a facilitator coach who can just keep delivering what they're doing but challenge them.

"The Test team needs a completely different style of coach – a driver of culture and environment. The biggest thing is the mentality, which I think has been very poor."

And according to a report from the Times, Ponting is 'high on Key's list of targets for Test coach' along with former India and South Africa coach Gary Kirsten. The report also states that Sri Lanka legend Mahela Jayawardene, who has extensive coaching experience on the franchise circuit with the likes of Mumbai Indians in the IPL and Southern Brave in The Hundred, is 'likely to be approached to coach the white-ball team'.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has previously called for Ponting to get the job. He told the Daily Mail : "For me, there is no finer brain in cricket at the moment than Ricky Ponting, who reads the game so well.

"The new coach has to be someone the players respect; the dressing room has been a bit too nice in recent years. And, my goodness, if the batters in that England team aren't going to listen to what Ponting has to say about technique, then why are they playing the game?

"Not all greats of the game become good coaches, because they're not sure how to get their message across. Ponting doesn't have that problem.

"But because I can't see him wanting to commit to a year-round gig – if he wants to commit at all – then we have to split the role. And there's no reason why Paul Collingwood can't be in charge of the white-ball team."

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