Ricky Ponting Leaves Delhi Capitals After Serving As Head Coach For Seven Years

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who was the head coach of the Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2024, has left the franchise. DC took to X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday (July 13) to confirm the news of his departure. The 49-year-old has been part of the franchise as head coach since the 2018 season and helped them reach the final in 2020.

However in the past three seasons Delhi Capitals failed to qualify for the playoffs and finished 5th, 9th and 6th respectively.

It has been reported by ESPNCricinfo that after failing to achieve desired results in the last three seasons, the owners decided to move on from the former Australian captain, who won two ODI World Cups in 2003 and 2007, and look for a new head coach.

Before joining the Delhi Capitals in the 2018 season, Ponting had served as Mumbai Indians head coach in the cash-rich league and helped them win in the 2015 edition of the world’s richest franchise cricket league under Rohit Sharma’s leadership.

As per reports, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, who has been associated with the Delhi-based franchise as Director of Cricket, could take over the role of head coach.

During his seven-year stint as head coach of Delhi, Ponting helped the team reach the IPL final for the first time in the 2020 season, which was played in the UAE due to COVID-19. In the following season, DC finished at the top of the points table under Rishabh Pant’s leadership but failed to qualify for the final after losing both Qualifier matches against the Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.

It is not clear whether Ponting will take a break from the IPL or join any other franchise. If Ponting decides to join any other IPL team, then he will not be short of suitors, as teams like the Kolkata Knight Riders can target him.

Ponting has played for KKR in the IPL and can be an able replacement for Gautam Gambhir, who has left his role as mentor to become the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team.