Ricky Ponting, the former Australia international and cricketing great, recently stepped down as coach of the Delhi Capitals. This marks the end of a seven-season run with the franchise cricket team representing India’s capital city. While they were unable to register their first title, under Ricky Ponting’s leadership Delhi made great progress, with the most notable achievement of reaching the finals in 2020.
There were many ups and downs in Ricky’s stint with Delhi, and whilst the championship eluded them, the team grew and developed into a competitive unit. In this post, we will look at some of the key achievements and some of the failings in Ricky Ponting’s time as head coach of what was then the Delhi Daredevils to the emergence of the current franchise.
Ricky Ponting’s Appointment in 2018 – A Team in Transition
Ricky Ponting was appointed as the head coach of the Delhi side, then known as the Delhi Daredevils. It was a tough first outing for the former Australia World Cup-winning captain. The team lost 9 of its 14 games, finishing rock bottom of the table. More changes were underway, as the ownership of the Delhi Daredevils underwent a name change becoming the Delhi Capitals. A title that was meant to reflect the identity of the team as the representative of the nation’s capital.
While the first season at the helm was not a great start for the Australian great, the team came roaring back in the 2019 edition effectively reversing the win-loss ratio, managing nine wins against five losses, making it to the playoffs at No. 03 in the table, before being eliminated in the second qualifier. And this only got better from there, as Delhi went one step further in 2020 becoming runners-up. Ricky Ponting was clearly having an impact on the side, with his contributions being recognized, as he became one of the highest-paid coaches in the IPL.
The Good Form for Delhi Continues Under Ricky
Ricky Ponting is rightly regarded as one of the greats of the game. Having been a part of and the coach of the legendary Australian side that dominated world cricket between 1999 – 2009 the question was, could he translate his abilities in the coaching arena, especially in the hyper-competitive Indian Premier League? The answer was yes.
Having made it to the playoffs in 2019, and then becoming runners-up in 2020, the Delhi Daredevils achieved another solid finish, making it to the top of the league. Whilst the title eluded them again, things were looking bright for the side from India’s capital. But then began a downward trend. Delhi’s strength has always been the quality of the players, with experience and youth. However, unlike teams like Mumbai and Chennai, Delhi was unable to translate their talent and good form to go that extra yard and produce key victories.
Decline and the Need for Change
From 2022 to 2024 it was a relatively tough time for Delhi. Whilst progress had been made on many fronts, with the team boasting class players like Rishabh Pant, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh, the playing 11 was unable to translate its abilities with match-winning performances on a consistent basis. The disappointment of the 2023 season and the recovery in 2024 were good but not good enough. The championship remained elusive, and this arguably is the reason for the Ponting;s departure.
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