Ricky Ponting sacked as Delhi Capitals head coach; Franchise confirms

Indian Premier League (IPL) team DC has decided to part ways with former Australia captain Ricky Ponting as their head coach, ending his seven-year stint with the franchise. The news, shared via DC’s official social media channels, has sparked considerable interest among Indian cricket enthusiasts.

It’s reported that former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who previously served as an advisor under Ponting, is a leading candidate to step into the coaching role for the upcoming season.

Ricky Ponting’s legacy and challenges

After 7 seasons, Delhi Capitals has decided to part ways with Ricky Ponting.

It's been a great journey, Coach! Thank you for everything 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/dnIE5QY6ac

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) July 13, 2024

During his tenure, Ponting led the team through several T20 star studded lineups but couldn’t secure DC’s first IPL title. Even with captain Rishabh Pant’s return from injury in the recently concluded IPL 2024, DC finished sixth in the points table, missing out on a playoff spot.

“Dear Ricky, As you move on as our Head Coach, we’re finding it incredibly hard to put this down in words. The commitment, attitude and effort – they sum up our seven summers together,” DC’s statement said in X.

“Thank you for everything, Coach! Like you often close out. ‘Lets leave this here mate, grab a beer, get back to work tomorrow, yeah?” -statement added.

Prior to Ponting’s dismissal, Ganguly had hinted to the Bengali daily ‘Aajkaal’ that changes were being contemplated within the franchise. He confirmed his interest in taking over as head coach and has already begun discussions with team owners regarding potential player acquisitions for IPL 2025.

Sourav Ganguly new coach? 

“Let me give you some news. Ricky Ponting won’t be the DC coach any more. Geoffery Boycott is absolutely right! Ponting has not been able to take DC forward in these seven years. Need to talk to the management. I would suggest looking at Indian options for the coach,” Ganguly told Aajkaal.

“Why not me? Let’s see if I can do it or not. We need to rope in some new players. I wanted to bring in England’s new star Jamie Smith for DC’s SA20 side (Pretoria Capitals). He was even ready to come in, but then England will be busy for their India tour at that time,” Ganguly added.

When asked about his potential replacement, Ganguly openly expressed his willingness to take on the role himself. Since joining DC in 2019, Ganguly has worked closely with Ponting, but this recent development and Ganguly’s proactive approach indicate a new chapter for the franchise in the IPL.