Ricky Ponting's Delhi Capitals set to fulfill their desire against Punjab Kings: 'He was trying to get me...'

Ricky Ponting is all set to step into the role of head coach for the Punjab Kings in the upcoming 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Interestingly, it seems like one of his long-standing desires during his time at the Delhi Capitals is finally coming to fruition. PBKS opener Prabhsimran Singh has disclosed that the ex-Australian skipper had consistently expressed his wish to transfer him to DC while overseeing the team as their coach.

Prabhsimran was one of just three players that PBKS retained ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. The franchise was the only team to have not retained any capped players. “He had called me and we had a very good conversation. He told me straightaway that he was trying for the past three years to get me on a trade to Delhi Capitals. He then said that he is now very excited to work with me,” said the opener on Sports Tak.

“I also told him that I am looking forward to learning a lot of things from him. So now that the franchise has put this kind of faith in me I will try to get as many good starts as possible and win as many matches as I can on my performances,” he further said.

Ponting was announced as PBKS head coach about three months after parted ways with DC, ending a seven-year association with the franchise. Ponting is Punjab's sixth head coach in the last seven seasons. The franchise has made the playoffs only twice in IPL history, none in the last 10 years. In 2024, they finished ninth in the table.

Punjab retained the uncapped power-hitting duo of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma apart from Prabhsimran. Both players turned out to be revelations for them in 2024 season and was among the few bright spots in last year's tournament for Punjab. However, their decision to let go of a number of key performers, including fast bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel, raised a lot of eyebrows.