Ponting, who didn’t say it was anyone from the BCCI who spoke to him, said the multiple conversations he had made him think about his career and life priorities.

“I’ve seen a lot of reports about it,” Ponting said, when asked if he’d be interested in the role.

“Normally these things pop up on social media before you even know about them, but there were a few little one-on-one conversations during the IPL, just to get a level of interest from me as to whether I would do it.

“I’d love to be a senior coach of a national team, but with the other things that I have in my life and wanting to have a bit of time at home…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 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.”

Dravid’s time as India head coach is set to end after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in June.

The tournament begins on 1 June in the West Indies and the USA.