Ricky Ponting sacked by IPL team Delhi Capitals

Ricky Ponting’s seven-year stint as Delhi coach in the IPL has ended, with the club opting to sever ties with the Aussie great.

Ricky Ponting has been sensationally dumped by his Indian Premier League franchise, the Delhi Capitals.

Ponting, 57, is renowned as one of the sharpest cricketing minds in the sport and had been with the IPL team since way back in 2018.

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After finishing last of the eight teams in his first season, Ponting helped rebuild the Capitals, who made the playoffs for three straight seasons between 2019-2021.

They made the final in 2020, losing to Mumbai, but failed to reach the postseason in the last three campaigns.

The Capitals announced the decision to move on from Ponting, who was out of contract, in a long post published on X.

It initially had the caption “Thank you, Ricky” before it was edited to make it clear the club had made the call.

VISAKHAPATNAM, INDIA - MAY 10: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting looks on prior to the Indian Premier League IPL Qualifier Final match between the Delhi Capitals and the Chennai Super Kings at ACA-VDCA Stadium on May 10, 2019 in Visakhapatnam, India. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

The updated caption said: “After 7 seasons, Delhi Capitals has decided to part ways with Ricky Ponting. It’s been a great journey, Coach! Thank you for everything.”

The post then featured a series of graphic designed shots of Ponting and the team, along with an emotional, heartfelt message.

“As you move on as our head coach, we’re finding it incredibly hard to put this down in words,” the Capitals began.

“The four things you told us about in every huddle – care, commitment, attitude and effort – they sum up our seven summers together.

“Seven summers of you being hands-on, but also hands-off, so that we could become better.

“As athletes, yes, but more importantly, as human beings.

“Seven summers of you reaching every training session first and leaving last. Seven summers of you sprinting out of the dugout during strategic timeouts and biting your nails off until there were none left.

Ponting and Delhi director of cricket Sourav Ganguly. (Photo by DIBYANGSHU SARKAR / AFP)

Ponting juggles coaching with an accomplished broadcast career. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

“Seven summers of your dressing room speeches — the speeches.

“Seven summers of your hugs, shoulder pats and fist pumps for us all — newcomer, superstar … and everyone in-between.”

In the final image, there was an unusual message about both parties returning to work tomorrow.

“Thank you for everything Coach! Like you often close out, ‘Let’s leave this here mate, grab a beer, get back to work tomorrow, yeah?’”

There was a very mixed response to the post on X.

“Why and why?” one fan asked. “He was doing a tremendous job?”

Another wrote: “Finally … Congratulations DC … a perfectly right decision, long time coming.”

A third added: “Can’t imagine Delhi without Ricky.”

Another fan said: “Thank you Ricky, I’m a little bit emotional after seeing this post.”

Prior to linking up with Delhi, Ponting led the Mumbai Indians to the 2015 IPL crown.

An insightful commentator on TV, Ponting is also continuing to coach, signing a two-year deal in February to lead the Washington Freedom in the second edition of the Major League Cricket competition in the United States.

Originally published as Ricky Ponting sacked by IPL team Delhi Capitals