Ricky Ponting appointed Australian T20 coach for Sri Lanka series

The most successful Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has accepted Cricket Australia’s request to coach the national team and will be the assistant coach of the Aussie Twenty20 team for the series against Sri Lanka in February. He also has former teammates Justin Langer who is the head coach for the series and Jason Gillespie, an assistant as a part of the coaching unit.

Darren Lehmann & Co. will be preparing for the India tour while another team will play Sri Lankan in the three-match T20 series at home. On being handed over the role Ponting was quoted by cricket.co.au as saying, “I always said when I retired that I wanted to get back involved and what better way to do it than alongside a couple of my best mates in cricket, Justin Langer and Jason Gillespie,”

“We have some incredible Twenty20 talent in this country and I can’t wait to work with JL, Dizzy and those selected to have a real crack at doing something special for Australia’s Twenty20 international ambitions.”

Head coach for the Sri Lanka T20s Langer said, “It’s exciting that Ricky will be involved alongside Jason and myself during the Sri Lanka series as he was the one man I really wanted alongside us,”

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Ponting has rich experience having first led the Australian team to glory and then coaching the Mumbai Indians team in the Indian Premier League. “His knowledge of the game and the way he reads it, coupled with his invaluable experience as an IPL coach with the Mumbai Indians means he knows the format inside-out.” Langer said.

“Add this to his playing and now commentary experiences in the BBL and he has all the makings of a great coach. I can’t wait to work alongside my ex-captain and friend again.

“Ricky’s experience will add so much value to the group especially if, as seems likely, there are some fresh and relatively inexperienced faces in the squad with several senior players set to be in India at the same time.

“Just like Jason and myself, he will be coming into the series off the back of a long period watching Twenty20 cricket in the BBL and that will increase the chances of us hitting the ground running when the squad assembles.”

Pat Howard, CA’s Executive General Manager of Team Performance, has been someone who has vouched for Ponting to take up the coaching role and was excited after his decision to accept the offer. “It is terrific news that we have secured Ricky’s services to work alongside Justin Langer and Jason Gillespie during the series against Sri Lanka,” Howard said.

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“By getting him on board during the series it will allow Justin, Jason and the players to tap into his extensive Twenty20 knowledge, gained through his time playing and coaching in domestic tournaments in England, the Caribbean, India and Australia, as well as through his time watching the KFC BBL for Network Ten.

“The fact Ricky, Justin and Jason all know each other so well through their many years together in the Australia team means they will gel quickly and their significant collective experience of the format should ensure the squad that is selected gets all the guidance it needs off the field.”

The first T20 of the series will be played on February 17 at the MCG.