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Ponting responds to coaching reports

Former Australia captain says he's held discussions with Cricket Australia, but maintains no agreement has been reached

Ricky Ponting has responded to reports that he is in line to coach the national side at the next World T20 tournament, saying he'd loved to be involved in the game again but that nothing has been decided with Cricket Australia.

A report from News Corp this week claimed CA was in negotiations for Ponting to coach Australia at the event to be played on home soil in 2020.

Speaking on Network Ten during their KFC Big Bash League coverage on Tuesday night, Ponting said discussions with Cricket Australia had been ongoing for several months.

But he denied that he had already signed a deal to coach the T20 side.

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"I've had discussions with Cricket Australia for a long time about getting involved somewhere in some way shape or form," he said.

"I love coaching, I love being able to give a little bit back into the game.

"Obviously working and commentating on the Big Bash gives me an opportunity to see all the players and keep up with the tactics and the skills that are coming into the game now."

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Darren Lehmann will lead the Australia team throughout this summer's limited overs series and it is believed that CA are looking at options to provide the veteran coach with support during the upcoming Gillette ODI Series against England and the Gillette T20 tri-series against England and New Zealand.

Ponting worked alongside stand-in head coach Justin Langer as an assistant coach for Australia during a three-game series against Sri Lanka last year, when Lehmann and the Aussie Test side were in Asia preparing for their Test tour of India. Ponting also has Twenty20 coaching experience in the IPL as a title winning coach with the Mumbai Indians in 2015.

"I've been talking to them (Cricket Australia) and I'll continue to talk with them," Ponting said.

"I would like to get involved somewhere if it works out that way, but certainly nothing has been decided as yet.

"If everything does line up, there's a lot of things to think about.

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"There's tournaments all over the world at different times, is it going to interfere with things I've already got locked in which I'm obviously enjoying."

Australia sits seventh in the T20 rankings and has made the World T20 final just once from six attempts, in 2010 when they lost to England in the Caribbean.

Lehmann has already confirmed that he will not seek to extend his tenure as Australia's coach beyond his existing contract, which is set to end following the next Ashes series in 2019.

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