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Focus on Ponting's future as Delhi struggle in IPL 2023

Source:PTI
April 16, 2023

IMAGE: Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting with Sourav Ganguly, DC's director of cricket. Photograph: BCCI

Delhi Capitals are likely to have a much leaner coaching staff next season with head coach Ricky Ponting's future set to be examined at the end of the season.

 

As far as David Warner is concerned, he has been the team's highest run getter and best performer and unless he himself wants to concentrate on batting alone, he will finish the season as skipper.

DC have already lost five games on the trot in IPL 2023 and if they lose to Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday, they will be the first team to be out of play-off contention with half a dozen defeats.

In fact, the men who matter in DC franchise have already understood that the aim for this season is to salvage pride and finish on a respectable note.

The Delhi Capitals coaching staff currently comprise Sourav Ganguly as Director of Cricket, Ponting (head coach), James Hopes (assistant coach), Ajit Agarkar (assistant coach), Shane Watson (assistant coach), Pravin Amre (assistant coach), Biju George (assistant coach).

"Obviously, nothing will happen mid season but the poor result for two successive season will have it's share of repercussions when JSW and GMR, the two co-owners sit back and take stock of the season," an IPL source tracking the franchise told PTI.

"So you will certainly not have this jumbo coaching staff next season for sure. There will be a few heads that might roll," the source added.

The DC team was a formidable one till 2021 when they were regularly qualifying for the IPL play-offs for a few seasons.

With Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin batting from Nos 1 to 8, the team had a formidable look. The Nos 9, 10, 11 were Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada and Avesh Khan.

However, once mega auction was over, DC lost Dhawan, Hetmyer, Stoinis, Rabada and Iyer to name a few.

It's a fact that the current Indian domestic line-up isn't something to write home about.

The out-of-form Prithvi Shaw might be axed from the playing XI for the next game after an aggregate of 34 runs in five games with two ducks. With not much options in bench, Sarfaraz Khan is a likely choice.

DC were highly dependent on all-rounder Mitchell Marsh after a highly successful ODI series vs India, but form has deserted him. Rillee Rossouw or Rovman Powell might replace him in the playing XI for the next game on April 20.

Source: PTI
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