Rishabh Pant and Ricky Ponting
Ahead of the fourteenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting left a cheeky message for Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel and R Ashwin.
The much-awaited IPL 2021, starting on April 9, will see the three players plying their trade for the Delhi-based outfit, which had made it to the finals of IPL 2020 against Mumbai Indians in November last year.
“Can't wait to get over to Delhi Capitals and get to work. Hope Axar Patel and Ravi Ashwin have some wickets left after taking all of them in the last month, and Rishabh Pant has more runs to make," Ponting wrote on Twitter.
The Axar-Ashwin duo and Pant were in terrific form in the recently-concluded Test series against England. Pant scored 270 runs in four Tests including a counterattacking ton in the fourth and final Test which saw the hosts sealing the series 3-1 and booking a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand.
Following a brilliant run in the Test series, Pant will be making a comeback in the T20I set-up as India and England lock horns in a five-match T20I series, starting on March 12 with the first game in Ahmedabad. “Hahhahaha waiting for you Rick”: Pant wrote as a response to Ponting’s tweet.
On the bowling front, veteran Ashwin emerged as the Player of the Series against England, scalping 32 wickets and also hitting a match-winning ton in the second Test.
Left-arm spinner Axar also stepped up and picked up 27 wickets in three games, registering four five-wicket hauls in the series. Axar also scored a valuable 43 runs on a difficult batting track in the fourth Test in Ahmedabad, proving his worth with the bat.
