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Ricky Ponting To Be Sacked As Delhi Capitals Head Coach? Franchise To Take A Call On Coaching Staff After IPL

Delhi Capitals are going through a lean patch in the ongoing IPL 2023 as the David Warner-led side is winless in five games and languishes at the bottom of the points table.

Having already lost five games on the trot in the first half of the competition, Delhi stare at an early exit in IPL 2023. If they lose to Punjab Kings on Thursday (April 20), they will be the first team to be out of playoff contention with half a dozen defeats.

ricky-ponting-david-warner-ipl-2023

As per a PTI report, the men who matter in the Delhi-based franchise have already understood that the aim for this season is to salvage pride and finish on a respectable note.

Ricky Ponting's Performance As Delhi Capitals Coach

Coach Ricky Ponting's men have been unable to taste success in their first five games as they failed to put up a team effort and come out victorious in the sixteenth edition of IPL.

Following the team's dismal show questions are also being raised about the competence of the support staff of Delhi Capitals and it is being reported that the franchise might let go of a few coaching staff after IPL 2023. A decision on head coach Ricky Ponting will also be taken at the end of the season.

Delhi Capitals appointed David Warner as the captain of the side ahead of the season after Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the competition due to injuries he sustained during a car accident in December last year.

The biggest reason for Delhi's lackadaisical performance in IPL 2023 has been their batting. Barring Warner, no batter in the side bailed the team out of tricky situations, except Axar Patel and Manish Pandey - who slammed half-centuries in one game each - but the team failed to cross the winning line.

Neither overseas nor India cricketers in the side, whether international or domestic, could rescue the team from a crunch situation and absorbed the pressure, and pushed the opposition to the backfoot.

David Warner's Future at Delhi Capitals?

It is being reported that Warner, who has been the team's highest run-getter and best performer, in the tournament will continue to remain the captain of the side in IPL 2023. Unless he himself wants to concentrate on batting alone, the senior Australia cricketer will finish the season as the captain of the side.

Fate of Delhi Capitals Coaching Staff

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 seasons will have its 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 on the condition of anonymity.

"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.

Delhi Capitals Performance In IPL Since 2018

Since their rechristening in IPL 2018, from Delhi Daredevils to Delhi Capitals, the franchise maintained an upward curve. The DC team was a force to reckon with till IPL 2021 when they were regularly qualifying for playoffs.

Under Shreyas Iyer's captaincy, Delhi Capitals entered the finals of IPL 2020 - which was held in the United Arab Emirates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team lost to Mumbai Indians to finish as the runners-up.

In the IPL 2020-2021 seasons, the franchise looked formidable with Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel and R Ashwin batting from Nos 1 to 8.

The Nos 9, 10, 11 were Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada and Avesh Khan to form a sharp fast-bowling unit. Axar and Ashwin were two world-class spinners in the playing eleven.

However, once after the 2021 mega auction, Delhi lost Dhawan, Hetmyer, Stoinis, Rabada and Iyer, while Ashwin was traded. It's a fact that the current Indian domestic line-up isn't something to write home about.

Sarfaraz likely to replace Shaw as an opener?

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 many options on the bench, Sarfaraz Khan is a likely choice but he will have to then tackle the pace of Nathan Ellis in the powerplay.

Story first published: Monday, April 17, 2023, 13:42 [IST]
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