[Watch] Delhi Capitals welcomes head coach Ricky Ponting to the tune of ‘Wahi to ek sarva shaktiman hai’ ahead of IPL 2024
Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting has joined his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise ahead of the T20 extravaganza.
Ponting, who is also Washington Freedom’s head coach in Major League Cricket, will look to change the fortunes of Delhi Capitals after they failed to qualify for the playoffs last season. The Delhi-based franchise had finished ninth in the points table under David Warner’s captaincy with just five wins in 14 games.
The 49-year-old will reunite with regular skipper Rishabh Pant, who will make his comeback to competitive cricket after 14 months following his car crash in December 2022.
In a video shared by DC on X (formerly Twitter), the former Australian captain was seen arriving at the team hotel to the tune of ‘Wahi to ek sarva shaktiman hai’.
Watch the clip below:
“We have to use him in a slightly different role” – Ricky Ponting on Rishabh Pant's role for IPL 2024
Ricky Ponting has said that DC will play Rishabh Pant in a different role on his return to competitive cricket. In a recent interview, the Australian told the ICC:
"It's a big decision we'll have to make because if he is fit, you'd think he'd step straight back into that captaincy role. If he's not entirely fit and we have to use him in a slightly different role, then we've got some decisions to make there."
“He's actually played some practice matches over the last couple of weeks, which has been really encouraging for us.”
He added:
“We've obviously had worries and concerns that he might not have made it in time to be ready for the IPL this year. I mean, he was a huge loss for us last year and what he went through, we can't even begin to describe what he's been through the last 12 or 14 months.”
DC IPL 2024 squad: Harry Brook, Kumar Kushagra, Jhye Richardson, Sumit Kumar, Shai Hope, Swastik Chikara, Tristan Stubbs, Ricky Bhui, Rasikh Dar Salam, Rishabh Pant, Pravin Dubey, David Warner, Vicky Ostwal, Prithvi Shaw, Anrich Nortje, Abishek Porel, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Lungi Ngidi, Lalit Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Mitchell Marsh, Ishant Sharma, Yash Dhull and Mukesh Kumar.
DC will begin their IPL 2024 campaign against Punjab Kings at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Thursday, March 14.