He is one of the most successful captains the world has ever seen, he is one of the most successful players ever produced by his country, and he is here in Delhi Capitals to add the x-factor to a terrific team-combination – the name is Ricky Ponting.
Giving direction to the players’ efforts
Surely, there are fewer alternatives to hard-work for success, but one must know where to put in the hard-work. Ricky stresses on the very fact of right guidance from a team’s coach in the recipe for a successful team.
“We have put together a really fantastic group of players which looks very strong on paper. But like I said to the boys even at the start of last season, it isn’t about how it looks on the paper, but about how well you can perform under pressure that really matters. It is definitely up to me and the other coaches to make sure that the players are well-drilled, with their skills and tactics being up-to scratch going into the first game which is against a strong Mumbai Indians team, which shall prove to be a great challenge for all of us.”
A powerful start
While it is necessary to respect the opponents, it is also important, in a league such as IPL, to make them aware of the power of talent the very team consists of.
“I believe it is really important that you get the first part of your preparation phase right and as coaches, we have tried to ensure that we are going into the tournament with the players who are fit and healthy, and more importantly who are mentally and physically fresh.”
The ‘right’ attitude
More than the talent in a person, what Ricky believes comes in handy is the player’s approach under certain circumstances. In his words, “Apart from the right preparations, I think the right attitude is also something that I have vouched for during my spell as the Head Coach. You have to also find the right balance between being aggressive and being smart to understand and handle different in-game situations. The attitude side is something that I continue to push with the players as you have to impose yourself on the opposition and the tournament right from the start.”
Some words before IPL 2019
Just like the way Delhi Capitals has a brand new approach towards IPL starting this season, Ricky leaves a message that invokes fresh hopes and enthusiasm into the team and its fans.
“Personally, I’ve got great expectations from this group of players, and during the team meetings I have made it clear that my job here is to win the IPL.
“It is a message that I reverberate into the squad that everything that we do from now until the end of this IPL season, our focus will be on winning the tournament. Any training session we have, any team meeting we have, it will be for me to make the players better to give them the best chance of winning the coveted trophy.”
