The Australian-based coach Ricky Ponting has stepped down from Delhi Capitals head coach following unsuccessful years in the Indian Premier League.
Ricky Ponting Steps Down as Delhi Capitals Head Coach
The Delhi Capitals franchise has made the official announcement on social media. While it is still early days to decide on the head coach before the next IPL season, there is a possibility that Sourav Ganguly, the Team director of DC could take both positions for the next season.
“As you move on as our head coach, we are finding it incredibly difficult to put it down in words. The four things that you told us about in every huddle — care, commitment, attitude and effort, they sum up our seven years together,” DC posted on their official ‘X’ handle.
After 7 seasons, Delhi Capitals has decided to part ways with Ricky Ponting.
It’s been a great journey, Coach! Thank you for everything 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/dnIE5QY6ac
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) July 13, 2024
With the franchise writing an emotional post about their long session with Australia, Ponting was told in no uncertain terms that his performance hasn’t pleased the management during his stint in Delhi Capitals.
Ricky Ponting, a two-time World Cup-winning captain of Australia, was named as the head coach in 2018 and while the team reached their maiden final in 2021, the performance in the following years has not marked up to its expectations.
“The top brass of Delhi Capitals has intimated to Ricky that they aren’t happy that the team didn’t win a championship in seven years and they are trying to look at rejigging the support staff. He won’t be continuing next year,” said a DC source.
It is understood that the franchise wants Ponting to be more involved in the auction process and team building, rather than joining a couple of weeks before the start of IPL.
It remains to be seen whether DC will hire a new head coach or ask Ganguly to take up the gaffer’s role while the assistant coach Praveen Amre is set to continue.
The DC owners JSW and GMR group are scheduled to have a meeting either at the end of this month or early next month to discuss the road ahead. Recently BCCI initiated talks for increasing Player retention for the mega auction. The final decision will be taken during the meeting by the end of the month.
Player retention is also another topic that will be up for discussion and if the retention stays at four, DC will have to let go of Jake Fraser McGurk or Tristan Stubbs with only one overseas slot available.
With the mega auction set to be held before IPL 2025, there is every possibility that a few retainable stars from each franchise would want to enter the auction pool to check their real market rates.
