IPL 2021: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting sheds light on his relationship with Marcus Stoinis
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting's stint as head coach of the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League has been a fairly successful one. The team thrived under the Aussie legend's mentorship in the previous edition of the cash-rich league as they booked a berth in the final for the first time in their history.
The seasoned campaigner shares a close relationship with several players in the side. During a recent interaction with cricket.com.au, Ponting shed light on his relationship with dynamic all-rounder stoinis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Marcus Stoinis. He labeled the right-hander a very deep thinker, which is why he does not want to feed him too much information.
Ponting opined that Stoinis has been in and out of Australia's national side and has been unable to find space in their batting line-up. However, when it comes to the Delhi Capitals, Ponting feels that he has been very clear about Stoinis' role in the side.
"With Australia, he's been in and out of the side, and not really found a spot in the batting line-up. I've tried to make it pretty clear to him where I see him slotting in with the Delhi Capitals outfit and the role he's going to play for us," said Ponting.
The cricketer-turned-coach added he gives Stoinis clear directions regarding the game. Ponting also revealed that he only interferes with the Delhi Capitals players' preparations when he feels that they are erring somewhere.
"He is a hard worker. He likes to bat and bowl as much as anyone we've had at Delhi. So as long as I give some clear direction and he understands what he's doing and what his role is, I just let him go about getting himself prepared. I'll only interfere with players' preparation if I think they're bludging and they're not doing the right thing," said Ponting
Delhi Capitals in IPL 2021
Last year's finalists currently occupy the top spot in the points table with six victories to their name from eight fixtures. They will next be seen in action on September 22 when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.