DC coach Ponting pushes for team bonding ahead of IPL

‘When you show love towards the younger guys as a coach or a senior player, you know that they are going to give it back.’

Having bought a lot of new faces at the IPL mega auction this year, Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting stressed that the players who have been retained by the franchise now have a responsibility to guide the youngsters in the team.

The Capitals had retained four players -- skipper Rishabh Pant, opener Prithiv Shaw, spin all-rounder Axar Patel and South Africa pacer Anrich Nortje -- ahead of the auction and the coach is trying his best to get to know the rest of the squad ahead of the league which begins on March 26.

"I have told the boys to keep their doors open when they are in their rooms and get to know each other. I am going to have breakfast, lunch and dinner with all the younger guys that I don't know," Ponting was quoted as saying in a media release.

"When you show love towards the younger guys as a coach or a senior player, you know that they are going to give it back."

"The guys who have been in the Delhi Capitals camp for a while definitely have the responsibility of guiding the youngsters in the team.

"Rishabh's captain, so he's going to do that anyway, but guys like Prithvi, Axar and Nortje will also have their roles and responsibilities within the team," he added.

Ponting was impressed with the energetic vibe around the group of players when he attended his first training session with the team.

"At the moment, we need to really focus on what we need to do to get ready for game one. I had a great first session with the players. There's an energetic vibe around the team, which is what we always strive for," Ponting said.

Delhi Capitals' new foreign recruits include David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Seifert and Rovman Powell.

Vicky Ostwal, Chetan Sakaria, Yash Dhull, Sarfaraz Khan and Kamlesh Nagarkoti are the youngsters in the side.

Delhi Capitals will open their campaign against Mumbai Indians on March 27.