Ricky Ponting Joins Punjab Kings as Head Coach

Two months after his departure from Delhi Capitals, former Australian cricket team captain, Ricky Ponting has been appointed the head coach of Punjab Kings, signing a four-year contract. In an interview, he explained his choice to accept this new role, expressed his expectations for the forthcoming mega auction, and discussed his disappointment about how his tenure with Capitals ended. 

This role will be Ponting's third tenure as head coach in the IPL, a journey that he describes as a significant part of his life over the last decade. He expressed his excitement to return to the IPL due to the high level of cricket played and the quality of players he will be coaching. While he voiced his disappointment with the conclusion of his time at Delhi Capitals, he saw this as an opportunity to embark on a new challenge with Punjab Kings.

Ponting had been in discussions with multiple franchises, but it was "Project Punjab" that drew him. He sees potential in a team that, despite its lack of prolonged success and numerous coaching changes, possesses an impressive pool of young talents. His aim is to form a team that has the capability of clinching the IPL title.

He has signed a four-year contract, a notable choice given Punjab Kings' history of swift coaching changes, and he admits that it usually takes time to assemble the perfect team in IPL. He confirmed that usually the best teams take shape towards the end of the cycle following trades and mini-auctions, rather than at the mega auction at the start. As such, this longer-term deal presents the opportunity for strategizing and building a championship-winning team in the coming years.