Ricky Ponting wants to be part of Australia’s Olympic team in 2028

Ricky Ponting has revealed his desire to be involved in Australia’s Olympic campaign when cricket returns in Los Angeles in 2028, declaring it could be a watershed moment for the game in the US.

With breaking on the way out, T20 cricket is in for LA and Ponting wants to be there in green and gold even as a mentor should the Australian team be among those to qualify, with the process yet to be confirmed.

Having coached the Washington Freedom to the Major League Cricket T20 title last month, with Steve Smith as his captain, Ponting says the Olympics could be the breakthrough cricket needs in the massive US market.

“It can only be a positive thing for our game,” Ponting said.

“I’ve sat on various committees over the last 15 or 20 years and it’s always been on the top of almost every agenda – how do we get the game back into the Olympics? And finally, it’s there.

“It’s only four years away. Once again, in the US by that stage, hopefully, with MLC (Major League Cricket), another four years down the track hopefully growing. Who knows, there might even be more teams in the MLC by then. I think it also gives cricket a chance to break into the grassroots level in the US.

“But the thing about the Olympic Games, I mean, it’s not the host nation. It’s about the audience that it opens up.

“The Olympic Games being viewed by so many people all around the world, it just opens up completely different audiences to our game that’s seemingly growing on a daily basis anyway. It can only be a real positive thing for the game.

“Facilities and infrastructure and those things are going to be key and how many teams they actually decide on. I think it’s only six or seven teams that they’re talking about, so qualification is going to be at a premium, how you actually qualify to get into the Olympic Games.

“So all those things to think about, I’m really excited about where the game’s headed and the growth of different markets that we’re seeing emerge.“

Ponting has baulked at any full-time coaching roles with the Australian team but has done tours as an assistant and mentor.

Having experienced the Commonwealth Games in 1998, when 50-over matches were played, he added getting to the Olympics was on his wish list.

“It’d be a pretty nice job, I reckon, to be a mentor around a cricket team in the Olympic Games, to hang out,” Ponting told the ICC review.

“I was lucky enough to play in the Commonwealth Games and just to be around the athletes in the villages and stuff was quite a surreal environment to be in for a cricketer.

“So, look, I wouldn’t say no, but I think there’ll be a lot of people putting their hands up to try and be a mentor or a coach for an Aussie team in the Olympic Games.

“It’d be special to be a part of, so who knows? We’ll keep my fingers crossed and see what happens.”