Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, on Wednesday, took another jibe at India head coach Gautam Gambhir as their feud continued over his comments on Virat Kohli's form heading into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well. Reiterating his “prickly character” remark, Ricky Ponting said a “frightened” Gautam Gambhir only took a jibe at him in the wake of India's Test series whitewash at home against New Zealand earlier this month as well.

Virat Kohli had a poor series against New Zealand

Speaking on the podcast show 'The Run Home with Joel & Fletch,' hours after clarifying his statement on Kohli's form, Ponting said, “I'm not sure if I mentioned a couple of them, but I reckon he's just throwing me in the deep end, trying to find their two most experienced and make sure when they come out, they put that back on me.”

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However, Ricky Ponting once again shared that while he was concerned about Virat Kohli's form as he scored only three centuries in the last five years, where his home average dropped to almost 30, he also felt that the Australia tour could just set up the perfect platform for him to prove his critics wrong as well.

Ricky Ponting concerned about Virat Kohli's form

“I was asked the other night if I was concerned about Virat Kohli's form. A day before, I had read his stats from the last five years, so it was clear in my mind. I think he made only two (three) centuries in the last five years. His average in India is now down to 30 from 90, during this period. So yes, I would be concerned. And I said if you ask him about his form, he would be concerned because it is nowhere near what it used to be. But then I said since he loves playing in Australia and has a great record here, so if there ever was a tour where he could turn things around, it would be this. But they never talked about the second part. Then Gambhir went and faced the press having just lost against New Zealand. The hair on the back of his neck is already standing up. We got a bit of history as well, but he took a chance to fire back at me,” he concluded.

Legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting opened up his expectations from the former Indian captain Virat Kohli in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. 

India are getting ready to begin their journey in the upcoming five-match Test series against the hosts Australia. They are suddenly under immense pressure after poorly losing the three-match home Test series against New Zealand. 

That's a huge result: Ponting on New Zealand's recent Test series dominance in India

Even without experienced and dependable Kane Williamson, New Zealand not only won their first-ever Test series in India, but the hosts also suffered their first-ever home Test series whitewash while playing more than two Tests in a series.   

Ricky Ponting claimed that it was a huge result for New Zealand.

In the ICC Review, Ponting said, “That's a huge result. One that I wasn't expecting, to be honest, more so, when you look at it with Kane Williamson not being there. When you think about his (Williamson’s) record in the subcontinent, the sort of the rock and the leader that he's been for that team.”

Most of the Indian batters completely struggled against the New Zealand spinners in the recent home Test series. 

Talking about Indian batters’ poor performances against spin, Ponting said,  “I think the one thing it does probably say is it’s really starting to highlight India's vulnerability against good quality spin bowling. It seems as though the skill of the modern Indian batsmen of playing spin is probably not what it used to be.”

Ponting also believed that modern-day Indian batters’ preparation to face high-quality pacers can be a big reason for Indian batters' downgraded performances against quality spinners. 

On the other hand, former Indian captain Virat Kohli’s recent Test cricket form is disappointing. Since 2020, Kohli has hit two centuries and nine half-centuries in 60 Test innings. The right-handed batter has scored 1838 Test runs in this period with an average of 31.68, which is not good enough according to Kohli’s batting quality level. 

SEE ALSO: BGT could be Gambhir's last assignment as India head coach

I wouldn't be surprised to see Virat make runs in the first game: Ponting

While Ponting can’t believe Kohli’s recent Test stats, he strongly feels that the upcoming Test series in Australia is a good opportunity for the former Indian captain to show his incredible batting caliber. 

Ponting said, “I've said it before about Virat, you don't ever question the greats of the game. There's no doubt, he's a great of the game.

“He loves playing against Australia. In fact, I know he loves playing against Australia. And as I said, his record (in Australia) is very good. If there's a time for him to turn it around, it'd be this series. So I wouldn't be surprised to see Virat make runs in the first game.”

Virat Kohli is the second-leading run-scorer for India in Test cricket in Australia. The right-handed batter has scored 1352 Test runs in Australia with an average of 54.08, including six centuries and four half-centuries. 

While after Sachin Tendulkar (13), Kohli (10) is the second Indian batter to record at least ten 50+ scores in the Test format in Australia, Kohli (6 centuries) is one century away from breaking Sachin’s record for most Test centuries by an Indian in Australia. 

Legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting has opened up his thoughts on the recent IPL retention. He also revealed the names of the players, which surprised him for non-retentions. 

The IPL retention deadline has seen many surprise exclusions. However, many of those were expected. Some of the teams have even excluded their top names, which will force them to set a new culture in the team.   

Former Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting is now working with Punjab Kings, who have retained only two uncapped players. While it wasn’t a shocking retention theory for the team, as they haven’t played the IPL playoffs for the last 10 seasons, they will play a big role in the upcoming mega auction with the remaining purse of INR 110.50 crore. 

SEE ALSO: Agartala likely to be KKR's second home venue for IPL 2025

It was a bit surprising: Ricky Ponting

Talking about the IPL retentions, Ponting is surprised with Delhi Capitals, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders, and Lucknow Super Giants. 

Ponting said, according to Indian Express, “I’m a bit surprised with some of the non-Indian retentions if you like, with both Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant being available in the auctions. It was a bit surprising, even KL Rahul to a certain degree. It seems like individuals or franchises are busy looking to move in different directions to some of their players.” 

Shreyas Iyer was the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, who won the IPL 2024 trophy. On the other hand, since the IPL 2016 auction success, it was the first time that Delhi Capitals released their latest captain Rishabh Pant. As Ponting was the recent head coach of Delhi Capitals, he is very surprised by Pant’s exclusion. 

In the meantime, KL Rahul was the captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Under his leadership, LSG qualified for the playoffs in their first two seasons (2022 and 2023), where Krunal Pandya played the stand-in captain role in the 2023 edition during Rahul’s absence in the almost second half of the season.

In the IPL 2024, LSG failed to reach the playoffs as they finished in the seventh position. Although they had the same points as the fourth-placed team, LSG’s net run rate was very low. 

Ponting about IPL retention and auction

Ponting also opened up about why IPL retention and auctions make the game more exciting.    

Ponting said, “This is where it gets exciting. You’ve got to understand who your number one target is and how much money you are willing to pay for them. That’s such a big part of it (IPL), of getting the auction right strategy-wise. And then handing it over to us, as a group of coaches.”

Ricky Ponting is beginning his journey with the Punjab Kings by forming a dedicated support staff team, including some familiar faces from his time at Delhi Capitals. With a new four-year contract, he’s setting the stage for a successful tenure.

Familiar faces join Ponting at Punjab Kings

Ricky Ponting has taken his first major step in creating his team at Punjab Kings, starting with the addition of James Hopes, the former Australian all-rounder. Hopes, who has worked closely with Ponting at Delhi Capitals, joins as the new fast-bowling coach. Hopes had been offered a contract extension with the Delhi franchise after Ponting’s exit, but he chose to follow his former captain to Punjab Kings. This move signifies the exit of Charl Langeveldt, the former South African pacer, who had been in charge of fast-bowling under Trevor Bayliss in the last two IPL seasons.

Hopes, known for his international career with 84 ODIs and 12 T20Is for Australia, previously played for Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) during the inaugural IPL season in 2008. His familiarity with the IPL landscape and experience in the league will bring strategic insights to the team’s bowling lineup.

Key retentions and departures in the support staff

Alongside Hopes, Ponting has retained Brad Haddin as assistant coach, with responsibilities over batting and wicket-keeping. Haddin, initially brought in by Bayliss, had worked with Ponting in the past and has been a reliable presence for the team’s coaching framework. Sunil Joshi, former India spinner, also remains in his role as spin-bowling coach, adding continuity to the Punjab Kings’ coaching roster. Sanjay Bangar, however, has exited from his role as head of cricket development. His contract, initially set for three years, was terminated midway.

See Also: BCCI announces Indian squads for South Africa and Australia tours

Ponting has kept other essential staff, such as Adrian le Roux as strength and conditioning (S&C) coach and Andrew Leipus as team physio, to ensure continuity in the player fitness program. Now, his main priority is finalizing the player retention list, with discussions around key players like Arshdeep Singh and options for utilizing Right to Match (RTM) cards to secure talent at competitive prices.

Legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting has been appointed as the head coach of the IPL team Punjab Kings. The IPL team has officially announced their new head coach appointment on Wednesday (September 18).

In the IPL 2023 and 2024, Trevor Bayliss was the head coach of the Punjab Kings. Now, from the IPL 2025, the Punjab-based IPL franchise will play under Ricky Ponting’s coaching. Ponting will have an important role in the upcoming mega auction.

In the official statement, Punjab Kings’ CEO Satish Menon revealed that Ponting has been appointed as the head coach of the team for the next four years.

𝐏𝐔𝐍TER is 𝐏𝐔𝐍JAB! 🦁♥️

🚨 Official Statement 🚨
Ricky Ponting joins Punjab Kings as the new Head Coach! #RickyPonting #SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings pic.twitter.com/DS9iAHDAu7

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) September 18, 2024

I am excited to take up the new challenge: Ricky Ponting

Ponting said, "I am grateful to Punjab Kings for presenting me with the opportunity to be the new Head Coach. I am excited to take up the new challenge. I had great conversations with the owners and the management about the way forward and was truly elated to see the alignment of our visions for the team. We all want to repay the fans who have stayed with the franchise over the years and we promise that they will see a much different Punjab Kings going forward."

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Punjab Kings are struggling in the IPL for a long time

Punjab Kings have been among the underperformed IPL teams for many years. Apart from their IPL 2008 semi-final exit and IPL 2014 runners-up finishing, Punjab Kings, formerly known as Kings XI Punjab, have never finished in the top four of an IPL season. 

Punjab Kings last time finished in the top five during the IPL 2017. While ten teams have been participating in the IPL since 2022, Punjab Kings finished in the sixth, eighth, and ninth places in the last three seasons, respectively. 

Ricky Ponting has a great experience in IPL coaching

Ricky Ponting is a very experienced coach, especially in the Indian Premier League. During the IPL 2015 and 2016, Ponting was the head coach of Mumbai Indians. Under his coaching, Mumbai Indians won the IPL 2015 trophy. 

Between 2018 and 2024, Ponting was the head coach of the IPL team Delhi Capitals (formerly known as Delhi Daredevils). During his coaching tenure, Delhi Capitals made huge improvements, including reaching the playoffs for three straight seasons (2019, 2020, and 2021) and finishing as the runners-up in the IPL 2020, which was their first-ever IPL final appearance. 

England’s Joe Root became just the seventh player in Test cricket history to score 12,000 runs. He hit this milestone during the third Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Root reached 12,000 runs when he scored 62 with a four off Alzarri Joseph on the first ball after lunch on Day 2. He teamed up with current captain Ben Stokes to help rebuild England’s innings, adding over a hundred runs for the sixth wicket.

England had been struggling at 54 for five in just 12 overs, chasing West Indies first-innings total of 282. In this innings, Root also notched his 95th fifty-plus score, ranking him sixth in this category among all players.

Youngest players to 12,000 Test runs

33y 13d – Alastair Cook
33y 210d – Joe Root
35y 176d – Sachin Tendulkar
35y 214d – Ricky Ponting
36y 32d – Jacques Kallis
37y 68d – Kumar Sangakkara
37y 339d – Rahul Dravid

Root is the second youngest player to reach 12,000 Test runs, behind only his English teammate Alastair Cook. Root achieved this at 33 years and 210 days old. The oldest player to do so was former India captain Rahul Dravid at 37 years and 339 days. Root also surpassed the great Brian Lara’s total of 11,953 runs.

Fastest players to reach 12,000 Test runs in innings

224 – Kumar Sangakkara
247 – Ricky Ponting
247 – Sachin Tendulkar
249 – Jacques Kallis
255 – Rahul Dravid
261 – Joe Root
275 – Alastair Cook

However, Root isn’t the fastest to reach this milestone. Cook took 275 innings to get there, while Root needed 261 innings. Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara holds the record for the quickest, reaching 12,000 runs in just 224 innings. Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting are next, both reaching the mark in 247 innings.

Following in the footsteps of two time ODI World Cup winning captain Ricky Ponting, another Australian Trevor Bayliss is expected to leave his coaching role in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Bayliss the head coach of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) may part ways with the Mohali based team before the IPL season 2025.

The Punjab Kings did not make it to the playoffs this year, finishing ninth out of ten teams. They managed only six wins and suffered nine losses. The last time PBKS made it to the playoffs was in 2014.

Bayliss’s contract ends

Trevor Bayliss’s two-year contract with the Punjab Kings, owned by Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, has ended. Reports suggest that the team is unlikely to renew his contract for the next T20 season.

According to Cricbuzz, the Punjab Kings are looking for an Indian coach for the 2025 IPL season. They are considering several candidates including Sanjay Bangar, who was previously the head coach and is now the director of cricket development.

A board meeting to decide on the head coach role was scheduled for July 22, but it didn’t happen. The team is still exploring other options before the mega-auction later this year.

Why Bayliss might leave

Sources say PBKS wants an Indian coach to lead the team. Although they don’t have issues with Bayliss’s coaching style, they are unhappy with the results over the past two seasons. Despite having a strong squad, the team has not performed well. Bayliss took over from Anil Kumble before the 2023 season.

Indian coaches are popular in the IPL. Recently, Gautam Gambhir and Chandrakant Pandit guided the Kolkata Knight Riders, while Ashish Nehra led the Gujarat Titans to the title in 2022. Dinesh Karthik will join the Royal Challengers Bengaluru as a batting coach for the upcoming season.

Bayliss has coached Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Punjab Kings, as well as the England cricket team. However his recent T20 record has been disappointing. The PBKS management will review the last season’s performance before making any final decisions.

Future of IPL coaching

Rahul Dravid is drawing interest from several IPL teams. The future of Ashish Nehra and Vikram Solanki with the Gujarat Titans is uncertain. The Kolkata Knight Riders are also expected to appoint new coaches after Gautam Gambhir, Abhishek Nayar, and Ryan ten Doeschate moved to the Indian team.

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

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.

Sourav Ganguly, who used to lead India’s cricket team, said that Ricky Ponting won’t be coaching Delhi Capitals in the next Indian Premier League season. Ponting has been coaching Delhi Capitals since 2018. Before that, he coached Mumbai Indians and helped them win the IPL in 2015. However, Delhi Capitals still haven’t won their first IPL title under his coaching.

While Ponting was coach, Delhi Capitals made it to the IPL final for the first time, but they didn’t win. Their recent performances have been disappointing, including this year’s IPL where they finished sixth with 7 wins and 7 losses. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2022.

Ponting’s coaching journey with Delhi Capitals

To turn things around, Delhi Capitals decided to part ways with Ricky Ponting. Sourav Ganguly, who directs cricket operations for the team, confirmed the news. Ganguly emphasized that Ponting couldn’t lead the team forward during his 7 years as head coach.

Ganguly expressed his goal of winning the IPL title next year and taking charge as head coach. He also mentioned plans to hire Indian coaches for the team.

“I have to plan for next year’s IPL. I want to win the IPL for Delhi Capitals once. The mega auction is next year, and hence I have started planning from now on,” Sourav Ganguly told

“Let me break a news. head Ricky Ponting will not be the coach of Delhi Capitals. Geoffrey Boycott was right, as Ponting has not been able to take the franchise forward in the past 7 years. I have to speak with the franchise and ask them to look at Indian coaches. I will be the head coach. Let’s see how I perform,” he added.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has categorically denied making any ‘coaching offer’ to Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer. This denial comes a day after reports surfaced quoting the Australians. Jay Shah, the BCCI secretary, stated, “Neither I nor the BCCI have approached any former Australian cricketer with a coaching offer.” Shah also indicated that the next India coach, who will succeed Rahul Dravid, is likely to be an Indian.

BCCI refuses coaching offers to Ponting and Langer

Many media outlets had reported that Ponting, Langer, and Stephen Fleming were being considered for the role, as incumbent coach Rahul Dravid has decided not to continue after the Twenty20 World Cup next month. Ponting, in an interview with ICC Review, mentioned, “There were a few little one-on-one conversations during the IPL, just to get a level of interest from me as to whether I would do it.” He also added that his family was trying to persuade him to take up the job.

“Finding the right coach for our national team is a meticulous and thorough process. We are focused on identifying individuals who possess a deep understanding of the Indian cricket structure and have risen through the ranks. It’s crucial that our coach has an in-depth knowledge of our domestic cricket framework to truly elevate Team India to the next level,” the BCCI secretary said.

Next India coach expected to be an Indian, says BCCI secretary Jay Shah

Justin Langer also mentioned being sounded out by the BCCI and revealed discussing the matter with KL Rahul, the captain of Lucknow Super Giants, the IPL team he coaches. When asked about his interest in the India job after a game in Mumbai, Langer remained non-committal.

“When we talk about international cricket, no role is more prestigious than that of the Head Coach of the Indian Cricket Team. Team India commands the largest fan base globally, enjoying support that is truly unrivalled,” Shah said.

“The role demands a high level of professionalism as one gets to nurture some of the best cricketers in the world and an assembly line of talented cricketers to follow. Catering to the aspirations of a billion fans is a huge honour and the BCCI will pick the right candidate, capable of propelling Indian cricket forward,” the BCCI secretary added.

See Also: Should Pat Cummins promote himself in batting order for SRH?

The BCCI has advertised for the position, with the deadline for applications set for May 28. Many Indian names are being speculated, with Gautam Gambhir being a serious contender. The search for a new coach is heating up as the BCCI looks to find a successor for Rahul Dravid, ensuring the team’s preparation for upcoming challenges remains on track.