AB de Villiers Says ‘I Do Think I’ll Enjoy Coaching’ On Possibility Of Him Coaching Indian Team

AB de Villiers has said that he thinks he’ll be a good head coach of the Indian team, as the BCCI put out an advertisement for the same last week. Following the ICC T20 World Cup, India will see another change in leadership.
Rahul Dravid, India’s head coach, is expected to part ways with Rohit Sharma and his team after the ICC event in the United States and Caribbean. With incumbent Dravid’s tenure ending with next month’s T20 World Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has requested candidates for the Indian team’s head coach position.
Several stars of the game, including renowned Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming, have been connected to the soon-to-be-vacated position at Team India in the recent two weeks. On Thursday, Ponting announced that he had been invited to become India’s next head cricket coach. However, the Delhi Capitals’ (DC) head coach has declined the chance to replace Dravid.
Former Australia head coach Justin Langer and Royal Challengers Bengaluru manager Andy Flower have also ruled themselves out of contention.
“I can think on my feet”- AB de Villiers on coaching Indian team
With BCCI hunting for a new head coach, legendary South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers was recently quizzed about taking charge of the Indian side in the future. Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, has indicated that the highest cricket board is seeking a long-term head coach. There is no history of distinct coaches for different formats in Indian cricket.
“I absolutely have no idea. I do think I’ll enjoy coaching. I think there’s certain elements I won’t enjoy as much, which I will have to learn. With time, anything is possible and I can think on my feet and learn as I move on,” De Villiers told News18.
“But I think there are elements of a coaching job that I’ll enjoy a lot. Things that I’ve learned over the years, the maturity that I’ve got now at the age of 40, looking back, a lot of things look a lot clearer when I look back at my career. So those kind of learnings could be valuable for some younger players, even some senior players,” De Villiers said.
Though De Villiers is unlikely to enter the coaching ring this season, the former South African batter feels things can change in the future.
“And I would love to work with some players and some teams in that regard. As a full-time head coach, that’s not something that comes to mind as of yet. It’s not something that really appeals to me now. But as I said, never say never. Down the line, things might change,” he added.
AB De Villiers played 114 Tests, 228 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 78 T20Is for South Africa. The RCB icon also played 184 matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
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