Jay Shah's Retort As Ricky Ponting, Justin Langer Claim They Rejected India Coach Job

Earlier, reports suggested that BCCI had approached Ricky Ponting to assess his availability for the role of India's head coach. A few others like Justin Langer, Stephen Fleming and Andy Flower were also linked with the role.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Friday rejected claims that the Board has approached any former Australian cricketer to be India's next head coach and hinted that Rahul Dravid's successor could be an Indian by saying that he should have a "deep understanding" of the game's structure in the country. While Dravid has reportedly told the board that he is not interested in a third stint, former Australian players like Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer have claimed that they have turned down approaches for the high-profile position. 23rd May - Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer declined the BCCI's offer to Head Coach team India.24th May - Jay Shah confirms the BCCI did not contact any Australian for the Head Coach post. pic.twitter.com/0zDYluDLN1

"Neither I nor the BCCI have approached any former Australian cricketer with a coaching offer. The reports circulating in certain media sections are completely incorrect," Shah said in a statement.

Both Ponting and Langer are involved in the Indian Premier League as the head coaches of Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants respectively. World Cup-winning former batting star Gautam Gambhir, who is currently mentoring Kolkata Knight Riders, is speculated to be among the top contenders for the post right now.

"Finding the right coach for our national team is a meticulous and thorough process. We are focused on identifying individuals who possess a deep understanding of the Indian cricket structure and have risen through the ranks," Shah said.