Ponting appointed Delhi Daredevils coach

Mumbai: Australian batting great Ricky Ponting was today appointed coach of the Delhi Daredevils franchise for the upcoming Indian Premier League. The announcement was made by Delhi Daredevils CEO Hemant Dua as he welcomed the three-time World Cup winner.

Ponting takes over the reins at DD from former India captain Rahul Dravid, who had stepped down after the previous season owing to BCCI’s conflict-of-interest regulations. Dravid chose to coach India A and India Under-19 teams over the IPL franchise.

“Ricky Ponting has been appointed as head coach. We will have a new coach and a new team with the idea of having continuity. We have retained two youngsters and the whole team will be built around them. Chris Morris is a top all rounder,” Daredevils CEO Hemant Dua said.

The 43-year-old has earlier coached Mumbai Indians for two seasons in 2015 (when they won the title) and 2016. Apart from coaching role, Ponting has played in the cash-rich T20 tournament for Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians.

Ponting will be assisting the current head coach Darren Lehman in Australia’s T20 tri-series against England and New Zealand in February. The legendary batsman played 168 Tests, scoring 13378 runs at 51.85.

In ODIs, he tallied 375 appearances in which he scored 13704 runs at 42.03 apart from 401 runs in 17 T20Is. Delhi Daredevils retained Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Chris Morris ahead of the IPL auctions to be held on January 27-28.