“My Availability…”: Ricky Ponting Speaks Out on His Departure from Delhi Capitals

Following his appointment as the head coach of Punjab Kings (PBKS) for the Indian Premier League (IPL), Ricky Ponting discussed his departure from Delhi Capitals (DC). Ponting cited availability issues as the main reason for stepping down from his role at DC, where he had a successful seven-year stint. The franchise wanted a full-time head coach, a commitment Ponting could not make due to other responsibilities. Despite his disappointment, he understood the direction the team wanted to take. Ponting, who takes over PBKS starting from IPL 2025, becomes the third head coach in four seasons for the franchise. His first priority will be to identify key players for retention as PBKS prepares for the next season.

Ponting’s IPL journey began as a player with Kolkata Knight Riders in the inaugural 2008 season. He later moved to Mumbai Indians, where he relinquished captaincy mid-season in 2013, allowing Rohit Sharma to lead the team to their first title. After that, Ponting took on advisory and coaching roles, leading MI in 2015 and 2016. In 2018, Ponting joined Delhi Capitals as head coach, guiding them to three consecutive playoff appearances from 2019 to 2021, including a runner-up finish in 2020. After his time at DC ended in July 2024, he went on to coach Washington Freedom to a title win in Major League Cricket (MLC).

Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Ponting highlighted the “family environment” he fostered at DC and acknowledged the emotional reactions from the team and fans after his departure. However, the decision was ultimately made due to his limited availability. He also touched on the pressures of coaching, saying that it’s a challenge he embraces, as it brings him as close as possible to the feeling of playing. Ponting shared how coaching allows him to experience the competitive edge he had as a player, and that the cricket dressing room feels like his natural environment.

Reflecting on his time at DC, Ponting admitted that some strategic missteps, like errors in player retention and auction decisions, set the team back in recent years. Nonetheless, he cherished his coaching journey, especially with MI and DC, despite the lack of a trophy for the latter. Ponting also noted the growing complexity of coaching in the IPL, as teams now hire specialized coaches to cover every aspect of the game, leading to a higher standard of cricket in the league and contributing to the improvement of Indian players.