“If you think there's pressure and politics in an IPL team, multiply that by thousand” - Justin Langer on advice from KL Rahul on India coaching role
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) head coach Justin Langer has said that he received some sound advice from franchise skipper KL Rahul over what it means to coach the Indian cricket team. Langer said that Rahul warned him about pressure and politics in the Indian coaching role being thousand times more than what is prevalent in the Indian Premier League.
Langer's name has been doing the rounds as a possible contender to replace Rahul Dravid as Team India head coach after the 2024 T20 World Cup. Gautam Gambhir, Ricky Ponting and Stephen Fleming are among the names that are being discussed, according to reports.
On BBC's Stumped podcast, Langer shared his thoughts on the India coaching role and made it clear that he's not keen to take up the huge responsibility at present.
"It would be an amazing job, (but) I have (ruled myself out). I also know that it's an all-encompassing role, and having done it for four years with the Australian team, honestly, it's exhausting. And that's the Australian job," Langer was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Asked whether he would be open to considering the role in the future, the former Aussie batter revealed his conversation with LSG skipper Rahul over the matter and replied:
"You never say never. And the pressure of doing it in India… I was talking to KL Rahul, and he said, 'You know, if you think there's pressure and politics in an IPL team, multiply that by a thousand. (That's) coaching India. That was a good bit of advice, I guess. It would be an awesome job, but not for me at the moment," Langer stated.
The deadline for applications for the post of Team India's next head coach ends on May 27. According to reports, current coach Dravid is not keen on continuing in the high-pressure role after the 2024 T20 World Cup, when his tenure ends.
Ricky Ponting also not keen on taking up Indian coaching job
Another Aussie legend, Ricky Ponting, has confirmed that some discussions over the India coaching opportunity took place during the IPL.
He, however, added that he's not keen on taking up the responsibility as of now, as he already has plenty on his plate. Ponting, the Delhi Capitals head coach, told ICC:
"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 as well.
"Also, a national head coach is a ten- 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."
Dravid took over as India's head coach after the 2021 T20 World Cup. His tenure ended after the 2023 ODI World Cup, but the batting legend was given an extension till the 2024 T20 World Cup.