Ricky Ponting: Shane Warne would have been a great England coach

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes legendary spinner Shane Warne would have been able to turn around England’s flagging fortunes if given a chance to coach the old rivals.

The 52-year-old Warne, who died on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand after suffering a suspected heart attack on March 4, had confided in close friends before his death that he had ambitions to coach England.

“I’d like to do it, it’s a great time to be England coach… I think I’d do a pretty good job,” Warne told the Sky Sports cricket podcast last month.

However, Ponting had not heard about Warne’s ambitions but said he would have made a great coach if given a chance to coach the England side.

“He would have made a great coach. He didn’t (talk to me about that) because I would have tried talking him out of it pretty quickly,” the former Australia captain told the ICC website.

“I think he had a pretty good idea of things to talk to me about and not talk to me about. I know he’s done a bit of it in The Hundred (with the London Spirit) but having someone like Shane Warne to take over the England cricket team now would have done a great job.”