Renowned Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting has been named as the new head coach of Punjab Kings, taking over from fellow countryman Trevor Bayliss in the struggling IPL franchise. Ponting, a former captain of the Australian national team, has transitioned from his previous role with the Delhi Capitals, where he spent seven successful years.
"Ponting signed the contract yesterday and it is for four years. He will need that much time to build the squad. Ponting will take a call on the rest of the support staff," an IPL source told PTI.
Under Ricky Ponting's leadership, the Delhi Capitals emerged as a formidable team in the IPL, although they fell short of clinching the elusive title despite reaching the final in 2020. Ponting has also served as the coach of the Mumbai Indians.
On the other hand, the Punjab Kings have yet to secure an IPL championship since the league's inception in 2008. The co-owners are hopeful that the World Cup-winning captain can lead them to victory.
Punjab's only appearance in the final dates back to 2014, and the team has faced criticism for its frequent changes in personnel. They have struggled to secure a top-five finish in the past seven seasons, finishing ninth out of 10 teams earlier this year.
Under the leadership of coach Trevor Bayliss in the last two seasons, with retired Shikhar Dhawan as captain, the team also had Sanjay Bangar overseeing cricket development, Charles Langveldt as the fast bowling coach, and Sunil Joshi managing the spinners.
The Punjab Kings have a formidable lineup, boasting talented players such as Arshdeep Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, and Jonny Bairstow. Despite their strong core, the team has struggled to achieve positive results. However, in a season filled with disappointments, uncapped players Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma emerged as standout performers for the Punjab Kings.
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