The Delhi Capitals (DC) have recently parted ways with head coach Ricky Ponting, ending a seven-year association with the Australian cricket legend. Ponting, who joined DC as head coach in 2018, leaves as the franchise gears up for the mega auction ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. His tenure saw a mix of highs and lows, with notable achievements and subsequent disappointments in recent years.
Ricky Ponting’s tenure and achievements
Ponting took over as head coach of DC in 2018. Under his leadership, the team made significant strides, including reaching their maiden IPL final in 2021. The team’s journey under Ponting saw a steady improvement initially. In 2018, they finished last in the league. However, they bounced back in 2019, qualifying for the playoffs. The following year, DC made history by reaching the IPL finals for the first time, though they ended as runners-up to Mumbai Indians (MI). They continued their strong performance in 2021 by making it to the playoffs once again.
Recent struggles of Delhi Capitals in the IPL
Despite the early successes, DC’s performance in the subsequent seasons did not live up to the expectations set by their 2020 and 2021 campaigns. The team failed to qualify for the playoffs in the last three seasons, finishing sixth in IPL 2024 with an even record of seven wins and seven losses. This decline in performance led to the mutual decision for Ponting and DC to part ways.
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Ponting’s reflections
In an interview with Cricbuzz, Ponting reflected on his time with Delhi Capitals, expressing a deep emotional connection to the franchise and called it his second home. “DC, for me, was like my second home. My family was there with me for a month or five weeks in the last three or four years. It hasn’t always been the most successful franchise. So we tried to build a real family-inclusive environment where everyone was treated the same and everyone was on the same page,” Ponting said.
Ponting acknowledged the mutual decision to part ways but remained optimistic about his future in coaching. “So it is what it is, we’ve decided to part ways and we decided to move on but that doesn’t mean that I won’t be coaching again. I’m very keen to get back involved in the IPL. There might be a few opportunities coming up and we’ll see what happens over the next few weeks,” Ponting concluded.
With the departure of Ponting, DC are now in the market for a new head coach as they prepare for the IPL 2025 mega auction. The franchise will be looking to revamp their squad and build a team capable of consistent performances, aiming to break their recent playoff drought and clinch their first IPL title.