Delhi Capitals part ways with head coach Ricky Ponting

On July 13 (Saturday), the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals (DC) announced that they are parting ways with their head coach Ricky Ponting. Since joining the Capitals setup, Ponting has coached the Delhi side considerably well, including taking them to the final in IPL 2020. 

The franchise took to the micro-blogging platform ‘X’ to announce the decision. 

As the head coach, he has also seen the franchise progress from a middle-table club to regularly challenging the behemoths. In 2019, they reached the playoffs before bowing out. In 2020, they reached the final only to be thoroughly beaten by the Mumbai Indians. 

"As you move on as our head coach, we're finding it incredibly hard to put this down in words," DC said in a post on social media. 

"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," they added. 

"Seven summers of your dressing room speeches - the speeches, Oh! (Separate post for that loading) Seven summers of your hugs, shoulder pats and fist pumps for us all - newcomer, superstar... and everyone in between. 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?'"

While they reached the playoffs in 2021, they were yet again ousted by champions CSK. However, since then, they have not had results going their way, with three consecutive seasons without challenging for a playoff spot. Since 2018, Delhi has had the third most wins in IPL, 53, only behind CSK and Kolkata Knight Riders. It is yet to be ascertained as to who will replace the departing Ponting as DC's new head coach. 

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