After seven years in the capital, Ricky Ponting will be joining the Punjab Kings as the team’s mentor, and the Delhi Capitals are hoping to start a new chapter with a new coaching staff. India legend Sourav Ganguly took on the responsibility of helping DC secure the coveted IPL trophy, which has eluded them since the beginning, alongside Ricky Ponting.
“I suppose Ponting would acknowledge that he could have performed better because, as you can imagine, there were moments when we debated who we should fire from the squad we assembled, including Ganguly and me. Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Hetmyer, and Ajinkya Rahane had no place. Ganguly made the decision when we went to the auction, and I have to give him credit for that. We must support the Indian players, he urged. After speaking with Shikhar Dhawan, the trade with Hyderabad took place,” Kaif stated in a video that was shared on social media.
Kaif Credits Ganguly for Key Decisions in Dhawan and Ashwin Trades
Kaif highlighted Shikhar Dhawan’s trade from Sunrisers Hyderabad as a brilliant move for the team. However, Kaif asserted that Ganguly persuaded Ponting to proceed with the deal, even though Ponting did not want it to happen.
“Ganguly persuaded us that we needed him while we were at a standstill over whether or not to make the move. Ponting disagreed.
At the time of his dismissal from the Test team, he believed his career was over. During the discussion, the fact that Dhawan is a reliable player capable of scoring 500 runs in a season came up. I believe David Warner, who was in Hyderabad, persuaded Ponting not to accompany Dhawan.
He must have informed Ponting that he was no longer a great player, in my opinion. However, Ganguly and Parth Jindal supported Dhawan and traded him, and the Indian batsman proved us correct by helping us get to the season’s final and scoring a lot of runs. Given that they failed to win a trophy during those seven years, I believe Ponting may have wished he had performed better. He asserted, “In reality, Ganguly deserves credit for bringing Ashwin to the team as well.”
Kaif Critiques Ponting’s Strategy, Highlights Key Punjab Kings Mistakes
Ponting was released by the Delhi team following the 2024 IPL season. According to Kaif, DC must have thought the former Australia captain had the strategic planning necessary to command the troops.
“The franchise owner must have thought Ponting’s game preparations had deteriorated. Ponting is a well-known name now. He belongs to the same category as Sachin Tendulkar. Now, it indicates that a franchise feels his game ideas are lacking if they say “thank you so much” and split ways.
Ponting made a significant error after joining Punjab Kings, which Kaif also pointed out. The management’s attitude is evident in the team’s decision to let go of key players like Liam Livingstone, Kariso Rabada, and Arshdeep Singh. According to Kaif, the three ought to have been kept.
When he moved to Punjab, he adopted the same strategy as the previous coaches, keeping a larger salary and a few players. I thought they were mistaken. The Mumbai Indians are worth a look. They kept their best players because they thought they could still win a championship even though they came in last. Regardless of their worth, they continued to support the same guys. I do not like Ponting’s actions because they are similar to those of prior PBKS coaches. They had the option to keep Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada, and Arshdeep Singh. “You see,” he explained, “there is no assurance that a team will be able to keep the same player at an auction for less money.
