Ricky Ponting's 3 best moments as DC head coach
Ricky Ponting's tenure as the head coach of the Delhi Capitals (DC) came to an end on Saturday, July 13, 2024, when the franchise announced that they were parting ways with the former Australian skipper. Delhi failed to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy even once in seven years, a long rope given to Ricky Ponting at the helm, being one of the primary reasons for the decision.
Tactical errors and repeating the same mistakes over and over hurt the side over the years as they failed to hold their nerves in crunch moments, resulting in painful losses in games that they should have ended up winning.
Ponting failed to capitalize on the momentum the team had built during the 2019-2021 period. However, he did have some defining moments as the head coach of the side as well.
Ricky Ponting's 3 best moments as DC head coach
#3 IPL 2019 Playoffs
Ricky Ponting was appointed as the head coach of the Delhi Capitals during the 2018 season. They had a poor outing, finishing eighth on the points table. However, things turned around pretty quickly.
In the 2019 IPL, Delhi Capitals made the playoffs, for the first time in seven years as their last playoff appearance before 2019 had come way back in 2012.
They could not win the title but finished 3rd, their best-ever finish between 2013 and 2019.
It was from hereon that the side built momentum and went on to have fairly successful runs in the next two editions as well.
#2 IPL 2020 Final
The 2020 IPL was the best ever season for the Delhi Capitals as they made it to the final for the first time in the history of the tournament.
They won eight league matches, gathering 16 points and finishing second on the table, only behind the Mumbai Indians.
Delhi lost the first qualifier to the Mumbai Indians. However, they made a strong comeback to beat the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the second qualifier to storm into the final.
Unfortunately, they lost to Mumbai in the final but had an unforgettable season, ending as the second-best team in the tournament.
#1 Revitalized Kuldeep's cricketing career
Delhi Capitals (DC) acquired Kuldeep Yadav for a mere INR 2 crore after his disappointing stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
There, he had been dropped from the playing XI and managed only five wickets in his last two seasons. This turnaround in fortunes is attributed to Ricky Ponting, the head coach of DC at the time.
According to Kuldeep's childhood coach, Ponting played a pivotal role in reviving Kuldeep's confidence. He reportedly assured Kuldeep of a place in the playing XI, highlighting his talent and comparing him favorably to the legendary Shane Warne.
This backing by Ponting proved to be a turning point as Kuldeep went on to take 21 wickets in 2022, 10 in 2023, and 16 in 2024 for DC - a significant improvement from his final few seasons at KKR.
Kuldeep also went on to earn his place back in the national side as well. He also played key roles for India during the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup.