Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting didn't take much time in deciding his next organisation in the IPL after parting ways with the Delhi Capitals following a seven-season stint from 2018 to 2024. Ponting has signed a four-year contract with the Punjab Kings, the longest in the franchise's history considering the 2014 finalists have had 10 coaches prior to the ex-Delhi Capitals head coach. Since Ponting is coming off winning the Major League Cricket (MLC) with the Washington Freedom, it will keep him in good stead given there's a mega auction coming up and it will give him a chance to start from scratch.
Ponting admitted that 'project Punjab' attracted him given there were a couple of more offers after he parted ways with the Capitals. "Yes, I was talking to a few teams, but it was "Project Punjab" which attracted me. It is a team that hasn't had a lot of success over a long period of time, a team that's changed coaches a lot, so I saw it as a challenge," Ponting told ESPNCricinfo.
Ponting said that he was impressed with a few of the youngsters from the Punjab side last season and with a four-season deal he has with the Kings, he hopes to win a title, which he couldn't with the Capitals in seven years. Obviously that was one rationale why he wasn't retained as the coach as Capitals reached playoffs in three seasons out of seven including a final in 2020 but Ponting revealed it wasn't the only reason.
"One thing I have noticed a bit this year is, a lot of the IPL franchises, because they have so many teams now across most T20 leagues, they are looking to have almost full-time coaching staff, which was one of the things that was the undoing with me with DC," Ponting added. "They wanted more time and to have an India-based coach on the ground there for most of the year. I couldn't commit to that. That's the way it seems that a lot of the teams are going and it makes perfect sense."
Ponting said that he was disappointed with the way his tenure with the Capitals ended as he was able to create a really good environment with the side. However, he couldn't commit to a full-time involvement, which is one of the reasons he hasn't taken up an international coaching job.
Punjab Kings haven't reached the playoffs for 10 seasons in a row now since the 2014 IPL final and under Ponting, they will hope to get to the top four and dream of their first title.
