"There was tension between support staff, and maybe the players" - Alyssa Healy on anticipating Ricky Ponting's exit as DC head coach
Australia women's team captain, Alyssa Healy, recalled how she sensed some major unrest in the Delhi Capitals (DC) dressing room during the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise recently dismissed head coach Ricky Ponting from the role, and there is still a lot of speculation surrounding the entire coaching structure.
Sourav Ganguly serves as the director of cricket for DC, and expressed his interest in taking over Ponting's role. However, there is still no clarity regarding the same.
Ponting was roped in as head coach in 2018 and oversaw the franchise's rebranding. His reign initially saw immense success compared to the team's previous outings in the competition. Delhi made it to the playoffs for three years in succession from 2019, including a maiden final appearance in the 2020 edition.
However, since 2021, they have failed to make it to the knockouts, and finished ninth in the 2023 season.
"Being over there in India this year, watching it live, from an Indian perspective, it just didn't seem right in the dugout. There was obviously a bit going on, there was tension between support staff, and maybe the players. Rishabh Pant was in-charge and looked quite relaxed... but it just didn't look right," Healy said on LiSTNR Sport.
“It wasn't a surprise to me that if you put an international coach against an Indian icon, the international coach would probably part ways," Healy added.
Alyssa Healy led the UP Warriorz in the 2024 Women's Premier League (WPL). She was also in attendance for several of the IPL matches as well, particularly the ones involving her husband, Mitchell Starc, who represented the eventual winners, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
DC were relatively competitive in the 2024 edition, finishing with 14 points, but were not in the playoffs conversation due to their inferior net run-rate. The franchise did have some positives to take, including the promising batting by Jake Fraser-McGurk and Tristan Stubbs among others.
"It's opened up a whole avenue for Ricky to look at" - Alyssa Healy
During the IPL, if reports are to be believed, Ponting was linked with the Team India head coach upon Rahul Dravid's impending departure from the role. However, he did not apply for the role due to the extensive travel and workload that it demanded.
Although he is not involved with DC anymore, he still marks his presence in the coaching staff of the Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket (MLC).
“But yeah, it's opened up a whole avenue for Ricky to look at. Will he coach an international side or stick to franchise cricket, or do whatever else he wants to do, it has opened up for him,” Healy said.
As far as international coaching is concerned, Ponting has served as an interim coach and consultant for the Australian national men's team in the past.