DC coach Ponting lands in Dubai ahead of IPL 2020

Dubai: Delhi Capitals head coach and former Australia captain Ricky Ponting on Thursday landed here and went into mandatory six-day quarantine at his hotel ahead of the 13th Indian Premier League to be held in the UAE from September 19.

“My view for the next 6 days, hotel quarantine is officially underway,” Ponting tweeted from his hotel room after landing here.

The 13th IPL has been shifted out of India to the UAE because of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis across the world.

Delhi Capitals players and other support had already reached here on August 23.

Ponting had triggered quite a debate recently when he said that he won’t allow senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to run out batsmen at the non-strikers’ end if they back up too far.

Ashwin recently said that he has spoken to his IPL coach on the contentious issue and will reveal the details after a face-to-face meeting with Ponting.

Ashwin ran out England batsman Jos Buttler at the non-strikers’ end last season when he backed up too far, drawing criticism for his act as many called it against the ‘spirit of the game.

After Ponting’s statement, Ashwin had suggested the introduction of a free ball for bowlers in case the batsmen backed up too far.

The senior bowler said such an arrangement would make the contest between bat and ball more even.