Australian captain Ricky Ponting on Wednesday said he saw no reason why an Australian coach could not do a good job in India when quite a few of them were doing well with teams around the world.
"I think Tom Moody has done some terrific job in Sri Lanka leading them to the World Cup final and I can't see why an Australian coach could not fit and do a good job here", Ponting, who was here to participate in a training programme for children, told reporters.
On Sunil Gavaskar reportedly being opposed to having an Australian coach for Team India, he said, "it is up to those guys. But if you look around us, you can see a lot Australian coaches doing pretty good job with teams around the world."
On BCCI's efforts to find a coach for Indian team, he said, "it is important that they get a coach on board" and end the current "dilemma" on the issue.
Referring to the current Indian team, Ponting said it was important that all "senior players really make sure that they stick together", leading the way and providing directions to the younger lot.
"That is what has been the Australian strength", he said.
To a question on the role of the coach in a team, he said, "cricket is run by the captain while the coach takes care of the technical side. But with the game getting as hectic as it was at the moment, the coach was important in mapping out programmes well, organising training session and ensuring a happy environment".
"We were lucky to play under some good coaches", he said while naming stalwarts like John Buchanan. "They made the job of the players much easier", he added.
Reacting to changing rules of the game, Ponting said, "whenever the rule changes are made, it would be nice if the actual players are consulted".
Most of the players have a pretty good idea of what the rules of the game should be, he said.
But, the Australian stalwart did not appear to be in favour of the Twenty20 matches.
"Though currently there appeared to be no threat of the Twenty20 matches taking over the one-day games, care had to be taken to ensure that it did not occur," he said.
"Twenty20 cricket has its own place," he said, adding more and more cricket was making it more difficult for the players.
The increasing cramped schedule of matches also did not find favour with the ace cricketer, who said, "it has been an issue that players have been battling for some years. It is the hardest thing in the world of cricket. We should agree on 15 Test matches and 35 one-day internationals (in a year). If it is so, players will be pretty happy".
About their supremacy in world cricket, Ponting said, "we have beaten all sides in the world but it is important that we do not relax and be happy over what we have achieved".
On his take at being an Indian coach, he said, he was not thinking of retiring yet and taking up the job of a coach but added it would be a great job to be an Indian coach.
