Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting has opened up on the proposed new rule of the ‘Impact Player’ as his side gets ready for the Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Delhi who are coached by the former Australia skipper will be one of the favourites to clinch the title. Ponting, in the final stage of the preparations for the season, voiced his opinion about the new rule and thinks it will negate the role of an all-rounder.

<h3>Ponting opens on Impact player rule</h3>

"It [usage of Impact Player] depends if you bat or bowl first," Ponting said at an event in New Delhi.

"So at the toss, we will be putting in a bowling-first team and a batting-first team. And obviously if you bat first, you're probably going to sub in a batter. Or if you bat first and lose an early wicket, you might want to bring in a batter straight on top of that. So there are a number of different ways to use it.

While there are mixed opinions about the rule, Ponting believes that unless a side has a world-class player they won’t be excessively using the impact player. He further adds, there will not be many teams who will use a batter at number seven and perhaps could help in the bowling department.

"It actually almost negates the role of allrounders in the game now. So unless they're absolutely world-class and they're getting picked either as a batsman or as a bowler, not sort of a bits and pieces guy, then I don't think you'll see many, many teams this year actually use the guy that might bat at seven and maybe bowling over or two. Because you don't need those guys anymore."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sachin-messi-waited-long-for-world-cup-title-so-be-patient-indias-chance-will-come-feels-ravi-shastri-575247">Sachin, Messi waited long for World Cup title, so be patient, India's chance will come, feels Ravi Shastri</a>

<h3>Delhi start IPL campaign against UP Warriorz</h3>

Delhi will kick start its IPL 2023 campaign on Saturday, April 1 against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow and will try to clinch their first-ever title. Delhi will be without regular skipper and influential man Rishabh Pant who was injured during a tragic accident in December. Veteran star David Warner will now be in charge of the side as they try to go all the way.

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Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting has opened up on the proposed new rule of the ‘Impact Player’ as his side gets ready for the Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting has opened up on the proposed new rule of the ‘Impact Player’ as his side gets ready for the Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Delhi who are coached by the former Australia skipper will be one of the favourites to clinch the title. Ponting, in the final stage of the preparations for the season, voiced his opinion about the new rule and thinks it will negate the role of an all-rounder. Ponting opens on Impact player rule "It [usage of Impact Player] depends if you bat or bowl first," Ponting said at an event in New Delhi. "So at the toss, we will be putting in a bowling-first team and a batting-first team. And obviously if you bat first, you're probably going to sub in a batter. Or if you bat first and lose an early wicket, you might want to bring in a batter straight on top of that. So there are a number of different ways to use it. While there are mixed opinions about the rule, Ponting believes that unless a side has a world-class player they won’t be excessively using the impact player. He further adds, there will not be many teams who will use a batter at number seven and perhaps could help in the bowling department. "It actually almost negates the role of allrounders in the game now. So unless they're absolutely world-class and they're getting picked either as a batsman or as a bowler, not sort of a bits and pieces guy, then I don't think you'll see many, many teams this year actually use the guy that might bat at seven and maybe bowling over or two. Because you don't need those guys anymore." ALSO READ | Sachin, Messi waited long for World Cup title, so be patient, India's chance will come, feels Ravi Shastri Delhi start IPL campaign against UP Warriorz Delhi will kick start its IPL 2023 campaign on Saturday, April 1 against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow and will try to clinch their first-ever title. Delhi will be without regular skipper and influential man Rishabh Pant who was injured during a tragic accident in December. Veteran star David Warner will now be in charge of the side as they try to go all the way. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Ricky Ponting opens up on 'Impact Player' rule, says 'it almost negates the role of allrounders'

After winning 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1, India will take on Australia in the three-match ODI series opener, on Friday (March 17), at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The Men in Blue will be without regular captain Rohit Sharma, who is out of action due to personal reasons and will join for the remainder ODIs, as Hardik Pandya will lead the side.&nbsp;

In Rohit's absence, former captain Virat Kohli will be expected to guide the young batters and take the bulk of the scoring responsibilities. The 34-year-old Kohli has been in good form in the 50-over format, smashing three tons in the last four months. The star batter is on the cusp of achieving a plethora of records in the three-match ODI series versus Steve Smith &amp; Co. The right-hander is&nbsp;only 191 runs away from becoming the fifth batter to complete 13,000 runs in ODIs. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar (18426), Kumar Sangakkara (14,234), Ricky Ponting (13,704), and Sanath Jayasuriya (13,430) are the only ones to be part of the 13k club.&nbsp;

Kohli is also just three&nbsp;centuries away from equalling Tendulkar's world record for most ODI hundreds (49). Kohli's tally stands at 46. He averages a superb&nbsp;54.81 versus the Men in Yellow, along with ten half-centuries and eight hundreds. Thus, he has a chance to equal Tendulkar's tally. It is to be noted that Kohli has scored three tons on the trot in the format once (in 2018 during the home series versus West Indies). Hence, there is every chance for him to replicate the same once again and come at par with SRT.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wpl-2023-virat-kohlis-pep-talk-with-smriti-mandhanas-rcb-goes-viral-ahead-of-their-first-win-watch-572524">WPL 2023: Virat Kohli's pep talk with Smriti Mandhana's RCB goes viral ahead of their first win - Watch</a>

In addition, Kohli is eyeing to overtake Ponting in the list of batters with the most runs in home ODIs. He is currently third in the overall list&nbsp;behind Tendulkar and Ponting. The Master Blaster is at the top with&nbsp;6,976 runs whereas the former Australian captain comes next with&nbsp;5,406 runs. Meanwhile, Kohli has&nbsp;5,358 runs under his belt in home conditions; 48 runs away from the Aussie.&nbsp;

Since the 2015 ODI World Cup, India and Australia have squared off in five bilateral ODI series. The Men in Blue have won twice and lost the remaining three. Hence, they will hope for a winning start in the three-match series opener in Mumbai on Friday.

After winning 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1, India will take on Australia in the three-match ODI series opener, on Friday (March 17), at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

After winning 2022/23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1, India will take on Australia in the three-match ODI series opener, on Friday (March 17), at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. The Men in Blue will be without regular captain Rohit Sharma, who is out of action due to personal reasons and will join for the remainder ODIs, as Hardik Pandya will lead the side. In Rohit's absence, former captain Virat Kohli will be expected to guide the young batters and take the bulk of the scoring responsibilities. The 34-year-old Kohli has been in good form in the 50-over format, smashing three tons in the last four months. The star batter is on the cusp of achieving a plethora of records in the three-match ODI series versus Steve Smith & Co. The right-hander is only 191 runs away from becoming the fifth batter to complete 13,000 runs in ODIs. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar (18426), Kumar Sangakkara (14,234), Ricky Ponting (13,704), and Sanath Jayasuriya (13,430) are the only ones to be part of the 13k club. Kohli is also just three centuries away from equalling Tendulkar's world record for most ODI hundreds (49). Kohli's tally stands at 46. He averages a superb 54.81 versus the Men in Yellow, along with ten half-centuries and eight hundreds. Thus, he has a chance to equal Tendulkar's tally. It is to be noted that Kohli has scored three tons on the trot in the format once (in 2018 during the home series versus West Indies). Hence, there is every chance for him to replicate the same once again and come at par with SRT. Also read: WPL 2023: Virat Kohli's pep talk with Smriti Mandhana's RCB goes viral ahead of their first win - Watch In addition, Kohli is eyeing to overtake Ponting in the list of batters with the most runs in home ODIs. He is currently third in the overall list behind Tendulkar and Ponting. The Master Blaster is at the top with 6,976 runs whereas the former Australian captain comes next with 5,406 runs. Meanwhile, Kohli has 5,358 runs under his belt in home conditions; 48 runs away from the Aussie. Since the 2015 ODI World Cup, India and Australia have squared off in five bilateral ODI series. The Men in Blue have won twice and lost the remaining three. Hence, they will hope for a winning start in the three-match series opener in Mumbai on Friday.

India vs Australia: Former captain Virat Kohli eyes plethora of records in ODI series vs Men in Yellow

It's been some time since Virat Kohli last hit a hundred in the Test format, but for someone like Ricky Ponting, nothing worries him about the India legend. Against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup last year Virat ended his century drought in international cricket and&nbsp;despite hitting a couple more hundreds in the white-ball format prior to this series,&nbsp;he hasn't looked comfortable replicating his same form in Tests. Speaking of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series itself, Kohli has just scored 111 runs across three Tests, let alone being a threat to the opposition in home conditions.&nbsp;

Talking about Kohli, Ponting said he's not bothered about Virat's form as he knows he will bounce back. Admitting a batter is as aware of his poor form as those who are watching and writing about him is, Ponting believes Kohli will find a way back soon.

"For Kohli, I have said that over and over, champion players always find a way. He might be in a bit of a drought at the moment and might be not scoring runs which we all expect him to score but he is a realist as well. When you are a batsman and you are struggling and not scoring runs, you are pretty aware of that yourself. I am not concerned about this because I am confident he will bounce back," Ponting said on ICC Review.

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Speaking about Australia's big win in the Indore Test and how with that they sealed&nbsp;their qualification in the finals of the World Test Championship, Ponting said what they achieved after being down badly in the first two Tests calls for appreciation.&nbsp;

Opening up about the pitches that were used during this series and how the batters from both teams have fared on them, Ponting admits it's all but incredibly difficult for anyone to score runs on such tracks,&nbsp;and it's not just because of the turn, but because of the uneven bounce that has caused more trouble.

"I am not looking at anybody's form in the series because for batters it has been an absolute nightmare. Australia have done a remarkable job by turning around those first two Test matches and coming back to win the third. We all know batting has been so incredibly difficult. And it has not been because of the turn, but also the uneven bounce which makes you lose trust in the wicket and if that happens you are guessing all the time which makes batting really difficult," he added.

The fourth and final Test begins in Ahmedabad on March 9th.&nbsp;

It's been some time since Virat Kohli last hit a hundred in the Test format, but for someone like Ricky Ponting, nothing worries him about the India legend. Against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup last year Virat ended his century drought in international cricket and despite hitting a couple more hundreds in the white-ball format prior to this series, he hasn't looked comfortable replicating his same form in Tests.

It's been some time since Virat Kohli last hit a hundred in the Test format, but for someone like Ricky Ponting, nothing worries him about the India legend. Against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup last year Virat ended his century drought in international cricket and despite hitting a couple more hundreds in the white-ball format prior to this series, he hasn't looked comfortable replicating his same form in Tests. Speaking of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series itself, Kohli has just scored 111 runs across three Tests, let alone being a threat to the opposition in home conditions. Talking about Kohli, Ponting said he's not bothered about Virat's form as he knows he will bounce back. Admitting a batter is as aware of his poor form as those who are watching and writing about him is, Ponting believes Kohli will find a way back soon. "For Kohli, I have said that over and over, champion players always find a way. He might be in a bit of a drought at the moment and might be not scoring runs which we all expect him to score but he is a realist as well. When you are a batsman and you are struggling and not scoring runs, you are pretty aware of that yourself. I am not concerned about this because I am confident he will bounce back," Ponting said on ICC Review. ALSO READ: India vs Australia, BGT 2022/23: Steve Smith set to lead in final Test in Pat Cummins's absence Speaking about Australia's big win in the Indore Test and how with that they sealed their qualification in the finals of the World Test Championship, Ponting said what they achieved after being down badly in the first two Tests calls for appreciation. Opening up about the pitches that were used during this series and how the batters from both teams have fared on them, Ponting admits it's all but incredibly difficult for anyone to score runs on such tracks, and it's not just because of the turn, but because of the uneven bounce that has caused more trouble. "I am not looking at anybody's form in the series because for batters it has been an absolute nightmare. Australia have done a remarkable job by turning around those first two Test matches and coming back to win the third. We all know batting has been so incredibly difficult. And it has not been because of the turn, but also the uneven bounce which makes you lose trust in the wicket and if that happens you are guessing all the time which makes batting really difficult," he added. The fourth and final Test begins in Ahmedabad on March 9th.

IND vs AUS: Calling this tour a nightmare for the batters, Ponting backs Virat Kohli to bounce back soon

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting feels David Warner missed out on a chance of retiring from Tests, if at all it was on his mind, on a high. Ponting feels struggling Warner should have hanged his boots from this format following the final home Test against South Africa at the SCG early this year, after he had scored a double hundred in his previous match in Melbourne that also happened to be his 100th Test.

Nursing an injury he sustained during the Delhi Test, Warner is currently home and will not return for the final Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series, scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad on March 9th.

Speaking on the ICC Review Podcast, Ponting said he thought about this scenario a little while back and felt Warner would now probably have to wait for another 12 months for an opportunity to say goodbye to this format in front of his home crowd.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-aus-matthew-hayden-slams-australia-for-dropping-head-from-first-test-568723">Ind vs Aus: Matthew Hayden slams Australia for dropping Travis Head from first Test</a>

"Look, I was on radio a couple of days ago, back here in Australia, and I thought the absolute best time for Davey to retire, if he was thinking about it at all, was after the Sydney Test match here in Australia," Ponting told the ICC Review podcast.

"He'd just played his 100th Test in Melbourne, and obviously got 200 in the first innings down there. And to bow out in front of his home crowd is obviously the way that every player would like to finish their careers. Who knows now that opportunity might not come around again for Davey, you know. That's nearly another 12 months away," Ponting added.

Warner, 36, clearly struggles to put runs on the board in away conditions, especially in India and England (where he averages 26.04 from 13 Tests).

Despite such mediocre numbers, Ponting still feels Warner will play in the WTC final, scheduled for June 7th at the Oval in London against either of India or Sri Lanka. The three-time ICC World Cup winner, Ponting is of the further opinion that WTC final will further determine if Warner is ready and is in form to play the Ashes or not.

"I think they'll definitely want to play him in the World Test Championship match. They have got some really big decisions to make, leading into the Ashes as well. A bit like some of the selection issues they had coming to India,” Ponting said. "They're probably going to have similar things to think about when they get to the UK because David's record in the UK is not as strong as it is in some other places around the world."

Warner&nbsp;will, however, return for the ODI series against India that begins on March 17th in Mumbai.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting feels David Warner missed out on a chance of retiring from Tests, if at all it was on his mind, on a high. Ponting feels struggling Warner should have hanged his boots from this format following the final home Test against South Africa at the SCG early this year, after he had scored a double hundred in his previous match in Melbourne that also happened to be his 100th Test.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting feels David Warner missed out on a chance of retiring from Tests, if at all it was on his mind, on a high. Ponting feels struggling Warner should have hanged his boots from this format following the final home Test against South Africa at the SCG early this year, after he had scored a double hundred in his previous match in Melbourne that also happened to be his 100th Test. Nursing an injury he sustained during the Delhi Test, Warner is currently home and will not return for the final Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series, scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad on March 9th. Speaking on the ICC Review Podcast, Ponting said he thought about this scenario a little while back and felt Warner would now probably have to wait for another 12 months for an opportunity to say goodbye to this format in front of his home crowd. ALSO READ: Ind vs Aus: Matthew Hayden slams Australia for dropping Travis Head from first Test "Look, I was on radio a couple of days ago, back here in Australia, and I thought the absolute best time for Davey to retire, if he was thinking about it at all, was after the Sydney Test match here in Australia," Ponting told the ICC Review podcast. "He'd just played his 100th Test in Melbourne, and obviously got 200 in the first innings down there. And to bow out in front of his home crowd is obviously the way that every player would like to finish their careers. Who knows now that opportunity might not come around again for Davey, you know. That's nearly another 12 months away," Ponting added. Warner, 36, clearly struggles to put runs on the board in away conditions, especially in India and England (where he averages 26.04 from 13 Tests). Despite such mediocre numbers, Ponting still feels Warner will play in the WTC final, scheduled for June 7th at the Oval in London against either of India or Sri Lanka. The three-time ICC World Cup winner, Ponting is of the further opinion that WTC final will further determine if Warner is ready and is in form to play the Ashes or not. "I think they'll definitely want to play him in the World Test Championship match. They have got some really big decisions to make, leading into the Ashes as well. A bit like some of the selection issues they had coming to India,” Ponting said. "They're probably going to have similar things to think about when they get to the UK because David's record in the UK is not as strong as it is in some other places around the world." Warner will, however, return for the ODI series against India that begins on March 17th in Mumbai.

'If at all David Warner was thinking about Test retirement, he should have done it after SCG game’ - Ponting

Imagine being so good at something that a three-time world cup winner comes out and heaps a praise&nbsp;on you. Well, this is what Suryakumar Yadav has done to Ricky Ponting – who cannot stop calling SKY, as most Surya’s fans call him, the best player going around in T20 cricket. Having attained such heights in the shortest format despite making his international T20I debut in 2021 itself, Surya took the world by storm in the past year, amassing 1164 runs including two centuries and nine fifties. Such numbers brought great rewards too as he recently got announced as the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2022. So much so that Ponting, who has tasted success at the top level for a prolonged period, goes at length to describe SKY as the best thing going around.

Watching Suryakumar brings joy not only to Indian cricket fans&nbsp;but fans from different countries&nbsp;as well. Speaking about India’s newest batting sensation to the ICC on Friday, Punter said&nbsp;Surya will inspire a new breed of budding cricketers who would want to emulate his style of play and would like to play like him. Adding that with the array of shots he has in his armory, he’s taking the skillset in this format to the next level.

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"I think innovation-wise, skill-wise, I haven't seen a better player (than Suryakumar) in the game," Ponting told ICC on Friday.

"What it's going to do as well, a lot of other players are going to try and do the things he's doing and it's going to add another level of skill to the T20 game all around the world. Someone said during the IPL this year (2022), there are going to be guys who are going to try and do exactly the same as what Surya's doing, and that's going to be great for the game," the former Aussie captain added.

Looking impressed with Surya’s famous behind-the-square leg flick shot, Ponting said SKY&nbsp;is executing such shots better than anyone has ever done in the game. Mentioning the great Ab de Villiers in his conversation, Ponting said, "He's probably doing it better than anyone's ever done it right now. We talk about players that can score 360 degrees … some of the shots he's hitting back behind the wicket-keeper and over fine leg are just remarkable."

Having watched Surya grow as a batter during his early days in the IPL, the former Mumbai Indians’ captain revealed he never thought Surya would touch such heights in international cricket; but given the hard work he does and that too with utter dedication, it’s no wonder that he is where he should be.

"I didn't think he'd get to the level he's got to, to be quite honest," Ponting revealed. "He's worked as hard as he has -- you can probably tell by his body shape. He's probably fitter than he's ever been, being around the Indian set-up with the likes of Kohli and Shreyas Iyer and these guys, who are exceptionally fit young guys."

Suryakumar is currently plying his trade in the ongoing three-match T20Is against New Zealand and then would get involved in the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia that begins on February 9th in Nagpur.

Imagine being so good at something that a three-time world cup winner comes out and heaps a praise on you. Well, this is what Suryakumar Yadav has done to Ricky Ponting – who cannot stop calling SKY, as most Surya’s fans call him, the best player going around in T20 cricket.

Imagine being so good at something that a three-time world cup winner comes out and heaps a praise on you. Well, this is what Suryakumar Yadav has done to Ricky Ponting – who cannot stop calling SKY, as most Surya’s fans call him, the best player going around in T20 cricket. Having attained such heights in the shortest format despite making his international T20I debut in 2021 itself, Surya took the world by storm in the past year, amassing 1164 runs including two centuries and nine fifties. Such numbers brought great rewards too as he recently got announced as the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2022. So much so that Ponting, who has tasted success at the top level for a prolonged period, goes at length to describe SKY as the best thing going around. Watching Suryakumar brings joy not only to Indian cricket fans but fans from different countries as well. Speaking about India’s newest batting sensation to the ICC on Friday, Punter said Surya will inspire a new breed of budding cricketers who would want to emulate his style of play and would like to play like him. Adding that with the array of shots he has in his armory, he’s taking the skillset in this format to the next level. ALSO READ: ICC names all-female panel of match officials for 2023 Women's T20 World Cup "I think innovation-wise, skill-wise, I haven't seen a better player (than Suryakumar) in the game," Ponting told ICC on Friday. "What it's going to do as well, a lot of other players are going to try and do the things he's doing and it's going to add another level of skill to the T20 game all around the world. Someone said during the IPL this year (2022), there are going to be guys who are going to try and do exactly the same as what Surya's doing, and that's going to be great for the game," the former Aussie captain added. Looking impressed with Surya’s famous behind-the-square leg flick shot, Ponting said SKY is executing such shots better than anyone has ever done in the game. Mentioning the great Ab de Villiers in his conversation, Ponting said, "He's probably doing it better than anyone's ever done it right now. We talk about players that can score 360 degrees … some of the shots he's hitting back behind the wicket-keeper and over fine leg are just remarkable." Having watched Surya grow as a batter during his early days in the IPL, the former Mumbai Indians’ captain revealed he never thought Surya would touch such heights in international cricket; but given the hard work he does and that too with utter dedication, it’s no wonder that he is where he should be. "I didn't think he'd get to the level he's got to, to be quite honest," Ponting revealed. "He's worked as hard as he has -- you can probably tell by his body shape. He's probably fitter than he's ever been, being around the Indian set-up with the likes of Kohli and Shreyas Iyer and these guys, who are exceptionally fit young guys." Suryakumar is currently plying his trade in the ongoing three-match T20Is against New Zealand and then would get involved in the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia that begins on February 9th in Nagpur.

'Innovation-wise, skill-wise, I don't think I have seen a better player' - Ricky Ponting on Suryakumar Yadav

Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting wants his franchise skipper Rishabh Pant beside him in the dugout, even if he is not physically fit to play the game. “I want him sitting beside me in the dugout every day of the week,” Ponting said on The ICC Review Show.

Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting wants his franchise skipper Rishabh Pant beside him in the dugout, even if he is not physically fit to play the game. “I want him sitting beside me in the dugout every day of the week,” Ponting said on The ICC Review Show. “If he’s actually not physically fit enough to play, we’d still love to have him around,” he said. "He’s the sort of cultural leader around the group, being the captain, and that attitude and infectious smile and laugh he has is what we all love so much about him.” The former Australian captain revealed he had been in contact with Pant during his recovery process. “I absolutely love the bloke, I told him that on the phone the last couple of days. It was a horrifying time, a really scary time for everybody, let alone him. Anyone that knows him loves him – he’s a really infectious young guy that has the world at his feet still.” Read more: Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant injured in car crash Ponting added that players like Pant were not easy to come by and that one needed to look after their likes. “You can't replace those guys, simple as that. They don't grow on trees, players like that. We've got to look at – and we already are – a replacement to come into the squad, a wicketkeeper-batsman.” Pant was involved in a fiery car crash last month whilst travelling alone to his hometown in the Roorkee district of the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. The 25-year-old is currently receiving treatment at Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and will remain there until he fully recovers. He is expected to be out of cricketing action for the next year and a half, according to various reports. Read more: 'My surgery was...': Rishabh Pant tweets for the first time after the freak car accident Delhi Capitals Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly has already informed that the left-hander will be missing the upcoming season of IPL. “It will take time to heal. We cannot do anything. It’s an accident. He is just 23. He has got a lot of time. Rishabh Pant will not be available for the IPL. I am in connection with DC. It will be a great IPL. We will do well. Pant’s injury will affect DC.” (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

‘I want him sitting beside me’: Ricky Ponting’s endearing wish for Rishabh Pant

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was known for being a dependent batter for India across formats and playing with a lot of aggression. Post his retirement, he dons the role of a commentator-cum-expert and doesn't shy away from making big statements. Ahead of the second and penultimate ODI between India and Sri Lanka, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Thursday (January 12), Gambhir claimed that 'Rohit Sharma is a better player than Ricky Ponting'.

Speaking to Star Sports, in the pre-match panel discussion, Gambhir made the glaring remark when the host reminded him that Rohit is just one hundred away from equalling Ponting's tally in the format (30 tons). Just then, Gambhir summed up the discussion by saying, "Rohit Sharma is a better player than Ricky Ponting because Ricky Ponting has a shit record in the subcontinent."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sl-rohit-sharma-41-runs-away-to-surpass-ab-de-villiers-in-elite-list-in-2nd-odi-551862">IND vs SL: Rohit Sharma 41 runs away to surpass AB de Villiers in elite list in 2nd ODI</a>

Speaking about Ponting and Rohit's numbers, Punter was Australia's Mr. Dependable across formats -- though T20Is came very late during his career. He did struggle in Asian conditions, with only one solitary hundred in India in Tests but still ended with 11 centuries overall in the subcontinent. He ended with&nbsp;13,378 and&nbsp;13,704 runs in Tests and ODIs, respectively.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Rohit is a white-ball legend and has come to his own in Tests since late 2019. He still doesn't have great numbers in ODIs in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and South Africa whereas he&nbsp;recently slammed his first overseas ton in whites during India's tour of England in 2021.

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was known for being a dependent batter for India across formats and playing with a lot of aggression. Post his retirement, he dons the role of a commentator-cum-expert and doesn't shy away from making big statements.

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was known for being a dependent batter for India across formats and playing with a lot of aggression. Post his retirement, he dons the role of a commentator-cum-expert and doesn't shy away from making big statements. Ahead of the second and penultimate ODI between India and Sri Lanka, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Thursday (January 12), Gambhir claimed that 'Rohit Sharma is a better player than Ricky Ponting'. Speaking to Star Sports, in the pre-match panel discussion, Gambhir made the glaring remark when the host reminded him that Rohit is just one hundred away from equalling Ponting's tally in the format (30 tons). Just then, Gambhir summed up the discussion by saying, "Rohit Sharma is a better player than Ricky Ponting because Ricky Ponting has a shit record in the subcontinent." Also read: IND vs SL: Rohit Sharma 41 runs away to surpass AB de Villiers in elite list in 2nd ODI Speaking about Ponting and Rohit's numbers, Punter was Australia's Mr. Dependable across formats -- though T20Is came very late during his career. He did struggle in Asian conditions, with only one solitary hundred in India in Tests but still ended with 11 centuries overall in the subcontinent. He ended with 13,378 and 13,704 runs in Tests and ODIs, respectively. Meanwhile, Rohit is a white-ball legend and has come to his own in Tests since late 2019. He still doesn't have great numbers in ODIs in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and South Africa whereas he recently slammed his first overseas ton in whites during India's tour of England in 2021.

Rohit Sharma better player than Ricky Ponting as Australian has s*** record in subcontinent: Gautam Gambhir

After serving as the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) chief, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly is set to commence a new role. Ganguly is set to return to the Delhi Capitals&nbsp;(DC) camp as reportedly he will become the franchise's new Director of Cricket and will oversee operations of all three teams under them. During the IPL 2019 edition, Ganguly was associated with the Delhi camp as the team mentor. Back then, the Shreyas Iyer-led DC camp had entered the playoffs for the first time since 2012 and ended at the third spot.

As per a&nbsp;report by Press Trust of India (PTI), Ganguly will also be managing the&nbsp;affairs of the Dubai Capitals and Pretoria Capitals in the ILT20 and CSA T20 leagues, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and South Africa respectively. It is to be noted that&nbsp;both leagues are set to kick off later this month.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cant-depend-on-kohli-rohit-to-win-us-odi-wc-we-need-ex-india-captain-kapil-devs-bold-remark-549089">'Can't depend on Kohli, Rohit to win us ODI WC, we need...': Ex-India captain Kapil Dev's BOLD remark</a>

Following his stint as DC's mentor, Ganguly had to leave the franchise after he was appointed as the BCCI chief in September 2019. He held the post for more than three years before being succeeded by former cricketer Roger Binny. Ganguly was the President of the board during a tough period, which involved the advent of Covid-19. Under his tenure, the IPL was successfully held in IPL 2020 (entirely in UAE) and in the following two years amid the Covid scare. Meanwhile, domestic cricket also resumed slowly and steadily during this period.

Now, Ganguly is set to reunite with Ricky Ponting, the former Australian skipper and Delhi's head coach. His first major priority will be to name the franchise's captain with Rishabh Pant very much out of IPL 2023 following his car accident on December 30, 2022. At present, Pant is out of the ICU at the Max hospital, Dehradun but is expected to remain out of cricketing action for the first half of 2023.

After serving as the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) chief, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly is set to commence a new role. Ganguly is set to return to the Delhi Capitals (DC) camp as reportedly he will become the franchise's new Director of Cricket and will oversee operations of all three teams under them.

After serving as the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) chief, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly is set to commence a new role. Ganguly is set to return to the Delhi Capitals (DC) camp as reportedly he will become the franchise's new Director of Cricket and will oversee operations of all three teams under them. During the IPL 2019 edition, Ganguly was associated with the Delhi camp as the team mentor. Back then, the Shreyas Iyer-led DC camp had entered the playoffs for the first time since 2012 and ended at the third spot. As per a report by Press Trust of India (PTI), Ganguly will also be managing the affairs of the Dubai Capitals and Pretoria Capitals in the ILT20 and CSA T20 leagues, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and South Africa respectively. It is to be noted that both leagues are set to kick off later this month. Also read: 'Can't depend on Kohli, Rohit to win us ODI WC, we need...': Ex-India captain Kapil Dev's BOLD remark Following his stint as DC's mentor, Ganguly had to leave the franchise after he was appointed as the BCCI chief in September 2019. He held the post for more than three years before being succeeded by former cricketer Roger Binny. Ganguly was the President of the board during a tough period, which involved the advent of Covid-19. Under his tenure, the IPL was successfully held in IPL 2020 (entirely in UAE) and in the following two years amid the Covid scare. Meanwhile, domestic cricket also resumed slowly and steadily during this period. Now, Ganguly is set to reunite with Ricky Ponting, the former Australian skipper and Delhi's head coach. His first major priority will be to name the franchise's captain with Rishabh Pant very much out of IPL 2023 following his car accident on December 30, 2022. At present, Pant is out of the ICU at the Max hospital, Dehradun but is expected to remain out of cricketing action for the first half of 2023.

Former BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly to return to Delhi Capitals as franchise's Director of Cricket: Reports

On Friday (December 30), India woke up to the devastating news of Rishabh Pant, Team India star keeper-batter, being injured in a serious accident. This happened when the swashbuckling batter was returning to Delhi from Uttarakhand. His car collided with a divider&nbsp;and caught fire. As per reports and several pictures that have gone viral on social media platforms, the 25-year-old suffered multiple burn injuries. He&nbsp;has been shifted to the Max hospital, Dehradun.&nbsp;

The accident occurred in the early hours of Friday when Pant was returning to Delhi. He was driving his Mercedes when the accident happened on the Narsan border of Roorkee near Hammadpur Jhal. As a result, wishes have been pouring in from all corners for the superstar cricketer after pictures of his horrific car accident went viral. The likes of R Ashwin, Virender Sehwag, Ricky Ponting, Anil Kumble and many others reacted to Pant's accident and prayed for his speedy recovery. Here are some reactions on Twitter:

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Bounce back Rishabh, let’s all pray for his strong recovery🙏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GetWellSoon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GetWellSoon</a>
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashwinravi99/status/1608692070201561089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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I hope you are ok bhai praying for your quick recovery get well soon champ 🤲🏻🤲🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RishabhPant17</a>
— Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) <a href="https://twitter.com/rashidkhan_19/status/1608693628368736256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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I hope you recover quickly rishabh .. sending warm hugs and love! <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RishabhPant17</a>
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) <a href="https://twitter.com/MohammadKaif/status/1608693573079420932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

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Wishing dear <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RishabhPant17</a> a super speedy recovery. Bahut hi Jald swasth ho jaao.
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) <a href="https://twitter.com/virendersehwag/status/1608668455808663553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Thinking of <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RishabhPant17</a>. Hope you're on the mend and back on your feet soon 🙏
— Ricky Ponting AO (@RickyPonting) <a href="https://twitter.com/RickyPonting/status/1608683126175461379?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Wishing you a speedy recovery <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RishabhPant17</a> Get well soon.
— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) <a href="https://twitter.com/anilkumble1074/status/1608669747406831616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Wishing a very speedy &amp; full recovery to Rishabh! Take care <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RishabhPant17</a>
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) <a href="https://twitter.com/GautamGambhir/status/1608679856447029248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Get well soon mere bhai Allah sab thik karega <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RishabhPant17</a> <a href="https://t.co/1QLy46tOHs">pic.twitter.com/1QLy46tOHs</a>
— Mohammad Shami (@MdShami11) <a href="https://twitter.com/MdShami11/status/1608679251318038528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Terrible news to wake up to..praying for Rishabh’s speedy recovery..🙏🙏
— parthiv patel (@parthiv9) <a href="https://twitter.com/parthiv9/status/1608676867414069249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Praying for Rishabh Pants speedy recovery. Relieved to hear that he is safe and stable. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RishabhPant?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RishabhPant</a>
— Mohammed Azharuddin (@azharflicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/azharflicks/status/1608687748533342208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Really hope Rishabh Pant is ok. The car looks absolutely quashed. Horrific to see even.
— Abhinav Mukund (@mukundabhinav) <a href="https://twitter.com/mukundabhinav/status/1608676502610284544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Thoughts and prayers with Rishabh Pant. Get well soon brother 🙏🙏 <a href="https://twitter.com/RishabhPant17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RishabhPant17</a>
— Litton Das (@LittonOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/LittonOfficial/status/1608689321980342272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Get well soon <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RishabhPant?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RishabhPant</a> 🙏🏼
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) <a href="https://twitter.com/venkateshprasad/status/1608685433302691841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indian-cricketer-rishabh-pant-injured-in-car-accident-547898">Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant injured in car crash</a>

It is believed that Pant has suffered some injuries but is out of danger. A statement from the hospital is expected to be out later in the day. Pant has been India's mainstay across formats. He was part of India's 2-0 Test series win versus Bangladesh, in Bangladesh, but hasn't been named by the BCCI selectors in India's white-ball squads for the upcoming home assignments versus Sri Lanka, starting on January 03.&nbsp;

As per reports, Pant had been advised to work on his fitness as he had been carrying a niggle on his knee for quite sometime. He was expected to return for India's four Tests versus Australia, on home soil, before the accident took place on Friday morning. One hopes for his speedy recovery and return to the 22-yard cricket strip sooner than later.

On Friday (December 30), India woke up to the devastating news of Rishabh Pant, Team India star keeper-batter, being injured in a serious accident. This happened when the swashbuckling batter was returning to Delhi from Uttarakhand.

On Friday (December 30), India woke up to the devastating news of Rishabh Pant, Team India star keeper-batter, being injured in a serious accident. This happened when the swashbuckling batter was returning to Delhi from Uttarakhand. His car collided with a divider and caught fire. As per reports and several pictures that have gone viral on social media platforms, the 25-year-old suffered multiple burn injuries. He has been shifted to the Max hospital, Dehradun. The accident occurred in the early hours of Friday when Pant was returning to Delhi. He was driving his Mercedes when the accident happened on the Narsan border of Roorkee near Hammadpur Jhal. As a result, wishes have been pouring in from all corners for the superstar cricketer after pictures of his horrific car accident went viral. The likes of R Ashwin, Virender Sehwag, Ricky Ponting, Anil Kumble and many others reacted to Pant's accident and prayed for his speedy recovery. Here are some reactions on Twitter: Bounce back Rishabh, let’s all pray for his strong recovery🙏 #GetWellSoon — Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) December 30, 2022 × I hope you are ok bhai praying for your quick recovery get well soon champ 🤲🏻🤲🏻 @RishabhPant17 — Rashid Khan (@rashidkhan_19) December 30, 2022 × I hope you recover quickly rishabh .. sending warm hugs and love! @RishabhPant17 — Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) December 30, 2022 × Wishing dear @RishabhPant17 a super speedy recovery. Bahut hi Jald swasth ho jaao. — Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) December 30, 2022 × Thinking of @RishabhPant17. Hope you're on the mend and back on your feet soon 🙏 — Ricky Ponting AO (@RickyPonting) December 30, 2022 × Wishing you a speedy recovery @RishabhPant17 Get well soon. — Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) December 30, 2022 × Wishing a very speedy & full recovery to Rishabh! Take care @RishabhPant17 — Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) December 30, 2022 × Get well soon mere bhai Allah sab thik karega @RishabhPant17 pic.twitter.com/1QLy46tOHs — Mohammad Shami (@MdShami11) December 30, 2022 × Terrible news to wake up to..praying for Rishabh’s speedy recovery..🙏🙏 — parthiv patel (@parthiv9) December 30, 2022 × Praying for Rishabh Pants speedy recovery. Relieved to hear that he is safe and stable. #RishabhPant — Mohammed Azharuddin (@azharflicks) December 30, 2022 × Really hope Rishabh Pant is ok. The car looks absolutely quashed. Horrific to see even. — Abhinav Mukund (@mukundabhinav) December 30, 2022 × Thoughts and prayers with Rishabh Pant. Get well soon brother 🙏🙏 @RishabhPant17 — Litton Das (@LittonOfficial) December 30, 2022 × Get well soon #RishabhPant 🙏🏼 — Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) December 30, 2022 × Also read: Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant injured in car crash It is believed that Pant has suffered some injuries but is out of danger. A statement from the hospital is expected to be out later in the day. Pant has been India's mainstay across formats. He was part of India's 2-0 Test series win versus Bangladesh, in Bangladesh, but hasn't been named by the BCCI selectors in India's white-ball squads for the upcoming home assignments versus Sri Lanka, starting on January 03. As per reports, Pant had been advised to work on his fitness as he had been carrying a niggle on his knee for quite sometime. He was expected to return for India's four Tests versus Australia, on home soil, before the accident took place on Friday morning. One hopes for his speedy recovery and return to the 22-yard cricket strip sooner than later.

'Bounce back Rishabh' - R Ashwin, Virender Sehwag & others pray for Pant's speedy recovery

Star Australian&nbsp;batter David Warner is struggling big time to put up good scores on the board which is eventually putting pressure on him to retain his place in the side. Warner, who recently claimed that he might retire from Tests inside next 12 months to concentrate more on ODIs and T20Is, got out on a first-ball duck in the first innings of the ongoing Brisbane Test against South Africa.

As the speculations are growing about&nbsp;his participation in the future India series and even in the Ashes, former Aussie captain Ricky Ponting came to his defense. Speaking with Channel 7 on day 1 of the Gabba Test, Ponting said Warner deserves a chance to finish his career the way he wants given his incredible contributions for Australian cricket over the years.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ban-vs-ind-2022-1st-test-kuldeep-yadav-shubman-gill-shine-in-indias-188-run-win-over-bangladesh-544142">BAN vs IND 2022, 1st Test: Kuldeep Yadav, Shubman Gill shine in India's 188-run win over Bangladesh</a>

Punter also insisted that Warner must take a realistic approach in making a call on his future, and that he would hate to see the left-handed batter bowing out of Tests after the India tour.

"I think what he should be doing is being as realistic and looking to the future as he can," Ponting said on Channel 7. "Like I said before, he deserves the chance to finish the way he wants to finish. I would hate to see him get to an Indian tour or at the start of the Ashes tour and then get the tap on the shoulder. That would be a disappointing way for his career to end…it might be after the Sydney Test. Let's wait and see. Also, I hope that he gets some runs between now and then."

Not only Ponting, Nathan Lyon also backed David Warner to continue playing for Australia. Lyon said everyone in the dressing room back&nbsp;Warner to come out&nbsp;good and show&nbsp;everyone the x-factor he is.

"We all know the X-Factor of cricketer that David Warner is and the type of batter he is," Lyon said. "He's got 100% support of the changing room and [that] should be the whole Australian public, to be honest with you. Yes, he got a good steep bouncer today but that was a hell of a catch to hang onto. I'm expecting David to come out and do amazing things."

Even in the second innings, he got out on 3 to Kagiso Rabada.&nbsp;

Star Australian batter David Warner is struggling big time to put up good scores on the board which is eventually putting pressure on him to retain his place in the side.

Star Australian batter David Warner is struggling big time to put up good scores on the board which is eventually putting pressure on him to retain his place in the side. Warner, who recently claimed that he might retire from Tests inside next 12 months to concentrate more on ODIs and T20Is, got out on a first-ball duck in the first innings of the ongoing Brisbane Test against South Africa. As the speculations are growing about his participation in the future India series and even in the Ashes, former Aussie captain Ricky Ponting came to his defense. Speaking with Channel 7 on day 1 of the Gabba Test, Ponting said Warner deserves a chance to finish his career the way he wants given his incredible contributions for Australian cricket over the years. ALSO READ: BAN vs IND 2022, 1st Test: Kuldeep Yadav, Shubman Gill shine in India's 188-run win over Bangladesh Punter also insisted that Warner must take a realistic approach in making a call on his future, and that he would hate to see the left-handed batter bowing out of Tests after the India tour. "I think what he should be doing is being as realistic and looking to the future as he can," Ponting said on Channel 7. "Like I said before, he deserves the chance to finish the way he wants to finish. I would hate to see him get to an Indian tour or at the start of the Ashes tour and then get the tap on the shoulder. That would be a disappointing way for his career to end…it might be after the Sydney Test. Let's wait and see. Also, I hope that he gets some runs between now and then." Not only Ponting, Nathan Lyon also backed David Warner to continue playing for Australia. Lyon said everyone in the dressing room back Warner to come out good and show everyone the x-factor he is. "We all know the X-Factor of cricketer that David Warner is and the type of batter he is," Lyon said. "He's got 100% support of the changing room and [that] should be the whole Australian public, to be honest with you. Yes, he got a good steep bouncer today but that was a hell of a catch to hang onto. I'm expecting David to come out and do amazing things." Even in the second innings, he got out on 3 to Kagiso Rabada.

AUS vs SA 2022: Struggling David Warner deserves to finish his career the way he wants, says Ricky Ponting

The former Australia&nbsp;captain Ricky Ponting returned to the commentary box on day 4 of the 1st Test after he complained of ‘chest pain’ the previous day, for which he even got hospitalised. It was during the afternoon on day 3 of the Perth Test between Australia vs West Indies when Ricky informed&nbsp;Justin Langer about not feeling good in his chest while doing commentary. Without wasting much time Punter got rushed to the hospital for immediate checkups.

Returning to the commentary box to resume regular duties, Ricky Ponting explained what really happened on Friday. He started off by saying that incident probably scared him and a lot of people across the world too. Explaining further Ricky said he felt sharp pains in his chest while doing the commentary but didn’t bother to react much or say something as he was live on air.

However, when he opened up about it to his fellow commentator and former teammate Justin Langer, Ricky found himself to be in the hospital in the next 15-20 minutes. Ponting, who had captained Justin for quite some time in his career, appreciated both Langer and Channel's head of cricket, Chris Jones’ advice who urged him to get immediate help.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/aus-vs-wi-2022-nathan-lyon-goes-past-dale-steyn-to-become-9th-highest-wicket-taker-in-tests-539652">AUS vs WI 2022: Nathan Lyon goes past Dale Steyn to become 9th highest wicket-taker in Tests</a>

"I probably scared a lot of people yesterday and had a scary moment for myself," Ponting told Channel Seven on day 4 of the Test match. "I was sitting in the comms box halfway through the stint and got a couple of really short and sharp pains to my chest. I tried to stretch it out and get rid of it, and probably didn't want to give too much away when I was on air."

"I had a couple of those incidents, got through the stint, and went to walk to the back of the commentary box and got lightheaded and dizzy and grabbed the bench. I mentioned to JL on the way out, who was commentating with me, that I had had these pains in my chest and Chris Jones heard me and just reacted straight away and got me out of there. Ten or 15 minutes later, I was in the hospital getting the best treatment that I possibly could.”

Ponting then said he is feeling great this morning.

"I feel great this morning; I am all shiny and new this morning.

"I think the bottom line is, the fact that I was willing to share it with JL and the fact that your mate looks after you, I think as people of our age, we are a little reluctant to share much or talk about our health and I think that is a good learning curve for me yesterday, especially with what has happened in the last 12-18 months to really close people around us. My little mate looked after me and got me down there and I'm back, shiny and new this morning."

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I had my little mate JL looking after me and I'm back here shiny and new this morning. Ready for a good day of Test cricket after missing the best part of yesterday. <a href="https://t.co/w98EUZCS8E">https://t.co/w98EUZCS8E</a>
— Ricky Ponting AO (@RickyPonting) <a href="https://twitter.com/RickyPonting/status/1598860671504240641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The former Australia captain Ricky Ponting returned to the commentary box on day 4 of the 1st Test after he complained of ‘chest pain’ the previous day, for which he even got hospitalised.

The former Australia captain Ricky Ponting returned to the commentary box on day 4 of the 1st Test after he complained of ‘chest pain’ the previous day, for which he even got hospitalised. It was during the afternoon on day 3 of the Perth Test between Australia vs West Indies when Ricky informed Justin Langer about not feeling good in his chest while doing commentary. Without wasting much time Punter got rushed to the hospital for immediate checkups. Returning to the commentary box to resume regular duties, Ricky Ponting explained what really happened on Friday. He started off by saying that incident probably scared him and a lot of people across the world too. Explaining further Ricky said he felt sharp pains in his chest while doing the commentary but didn’t bother to react much or say something as he was live on air. However, when he opened up about it to his fellow commentator and former teammate Justin Langer, Ricky found himself to be in the hospital in the next 15-20 minutes. Ponting, who had captained Justin for quite some time in his career, appreciated both Langer and Channel's head of cricket, Chris Jones’ advice who urged him to get immediate help. ALSO READ: AUS vs WI 2022: Nathan Lyon goes past Dale Steyn to become 9th highest wicket-taker in Tests "I probably scared a lot of people yesterday and had a scary moment for myself," Ponting told Channel Seven on day 4 of the Test match. "I was sitting in the comms box halfway through the stint and got a couple of really short and sharp pains to my chest. I tried to stretch it out and get rid of it, and probably didn't want to give too much away when I was on air." "I had a couple of those incidents, got through the stint, and went to walk to the back of the commentary box and got lightheaded and dizzy and grabbed the bench. I mentioned to JL on the way out, who was commentating with me, that I had had these pains in my chest and Chris Jones heard me and just reacted straight away and got me out of there. Ten or 15 minutes later, I was in the hospital getting the best treatment that I possibly could.” Ponting then said he is feeling great this morning. "I feel great this morning; I am all shiny and new this morning. "I think the bottom line is, the fact that I was willing to share it with JL and the fact that your mate looks after you, I think as people of our age, we are a little reluctant to share much or talk about our health and I think that is a good learning curve for me yesterday, especially with what has happened in the last 12-18 months to really close people around us. My little mate looked after me and got me down there and I'm back, shiny and new this morning." I had my little mate JL looking after me and I'm back here shiny and new this morning. Ready for a good day of Test cricket after missing the best part of yesterday. https://t.co/w98EUZCS8E — Ricky Ponting AO (@RickyPonting) December 3, 2022 ×

AUS vs WI, 1st Test: Ricky Ponting resumes commentary after getting hospitalised for ‘chest pain’ on Day 3

Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting was taken to the hospital on December 2, after he suffered a health scare. He was in the commentary box in Perth. The 47-year-old is now safe, according to the reports. Ponting was commentating on Australia's test against West Indies.

WION Dispatch: Ricky Ponting taken to hospital; ex-Australia captain hospitalised after health scare

On Friday (December 02), former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was rushed to the hospital after suffering a heart scare while on commentary duties during Day 3 of the Perth Test between Australia and West Indies.&nbsp;“Ricky Ponting is unwell and will not be providing commentary for the remainder of today’s coverage,” a Channel 7 spokesperson said via The Daily Telegraph. The former No. 3 batter&nbsp;is part of the commentary panel for Channel 7, also including stalwarts such as Matthew Hayden and ex-Aussie head coach Justin Langer.

As per a report in ESPNCricinfo,&nbsp;Ponting suffered a heart scare but no confirmed details have emerged about his condition. The 47-year-old came out of the Seven's commentary panel&nbsp;on the stroke of lunch after being on-air for as many&nbsp;as 40 minutes. The former Aussie captain was accompanied by close friend Langer to a car and taken to the hospital. After this, he didn't make a return but it is&nbsp;believed that he told his colleagues that he is&nbsp;doing well at the hospital.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/they-scored-500-when-shoaib-akhtar-reacts-to-englands-batting-onslaught-on-day-1-of-rawalpindi-test-539405">'They scored 500 when...': Shoaib Akhtar reacts to England's batting onslaught on Day 1 of Rawalpindi Test</a>

Ponting is a legend of the game. He represented Australia in 168 Tests, 375 ODIs and 17 T20Is.&nbsp;He ended with a whopping 13,378 Test runs along with 13,704 and 401 runs in ODIs and T2OIs, respectively. Under him, Australia won the 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cup and also clinched the 2006 and 2009 Champions Trophy titles. He is serving as the head coach of the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL and has led the franchise to the playoffs in IPL 2019, IPL 2021 and to the final in IPL 2020.

Talking about the Australia-West Indies Test, in Perth, WI were all-out for 283 in reply to Australia's mammoth 598/4 decl. In their second innings, Pat Cummins &amp; Co. are 29 for 1, with an overall lead of 344 at stumps on the third day.

On Friday (December 02), former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was rushed to the hospital after suffering a heart scare while on commentary duties during Day 3 of the Perth Test between Australia and West Indies.

On Friday (December 02), former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was rushed to the hospital after suffering a heart scare while on commentary duties during Day 3 of the Perth Test between Australia and West Indies. “Ricky Ponting is unwell and will not be providing commentary for the remainder of today’s coverage,” a Channel 7 spokesperson said via The Daily Telegraph. The former No. 3 batter is part of the commentary panel for Channel 7, also including stalwarts such as Matthew Hayden and ex-Aussie head coach Justin Langer. As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, Ponting suffered a heart scare but no confirmed details have emerged about his condition. The 47-year-old came out of the Seven's commentary panel on the stroke of lunch after being on-air for as many as 40 minutes. The former Aussie captain was accompanied by close friend Langer to a car and taken to the hospital. After this, he didn't make a return but it is believed that he told his colleagues that he is doing well at the hospital. Also read: 'They scored 500 when...': Shoaib Akhtar reacts to England's batting onslaught on Day 1 of Rawalpindi Test Ponting is a legend of the game. He represented Australia in 168 Tests, 375 ODIs and 17 T20Is. He ended with a whopping 13,378 Test runs along with 13,704 and 401 runs in ODIs and T2OIs, respectively. Under him, Australia won the 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cup and also clinched the 2006 and 2009 Champions Trophy titles. He is serving as the head coach of the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL and has led the franchise to the playoffs in IPL 2019, IPL 2021 and to the final in IPL 2020. Talking about the Australia-West Indies Test, in Perth, WI were all-out for 283 in reply to Australia's mammoth 598/4 decl. In their second innings, Pat Cummins & Co. are 29 for 1, with an overall lead of 344 at stumps on the third day.

Aussie great Ricky Ponting taken to hospital after heart scare during commentary duty in Perth Test

JSW and GMR co-owned franchise Delhi Capitals today revealed a list of retained and released players ahead of the Indian Premier League 2023 Mini-Auction which is set to be held later this year. The Delhi-based franchise has retained a total of 19 players which includes six overseas players.

The players who have been retained by the franchise from their last season's fifth-place finish include Indian internationals Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw,&nbsp; Chetan Sakariya, Khaleel Ahmed, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, along with Ripal Patel, Sarfaraz Khan, Yash Dhull, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Pravin Dubey, Vicky Ostwal and Lalit Yadav. Delhi Capitals have also retained six overseas players which include Australian batter David Warner, West Indies batter Rovman Powell, South African fast bowlers Anrich Nortje &amp; Lungi Ngidi, Bangladesh speedster Mustafizur Rahman and Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh.

Meanwhile, the franchise has released four players which include Indian players Mandeep Singh, KS Bharat &amp; Ashwin Hebbar and New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert.

The Delhi Capitals have also traded all-rounder Shardul Thakur to Kolkata Knight Riders and brought all-rounder Aman Khan in place of him.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-ms-dhoni-led-csk-retain-ravindra-jadeja-release-dwayne-bravo-chris-jordan-534439">IPL 2023: MS Dhoni-led CSK retain Ravindra Jadeja, release Dwayne Bravo, Chris Jordan</a>

RETENTIONS: &nbsp;

INDIANS:

1. Rishabh Pant 
2. Prithvi Shaw 
3. Chetan Sakariya 
4. Khaleel Ahmed&nbsp; 
5. Kuldeep Yadav&nbsp; 
6. Axar Patel&nbsp; 
7.Ripal Patel&nbsp; 
8. Sarfaraz Khan&nbsp; 
9. Yash Dhull&nbsp; 
10. Kamlesh Nagarkoti&nbsp; 
11. Pravin Dubey&nbsp; 
12. Vicky Ostwal&nbsp; 
13. Lalit Yadav

 
OVERSEAS:

1. David Warner&nbsp; 
2. Rovman Powell 
3. Anrich Nortje&nbsp; 
4. Lungi Ngidi&nbsp; 
5. Mustafizur Rahman&nbsp; 
6. Mitchell Marsh

 
RELEASES:

1. Tim Seifert 
2. Mandeep Singh&nbsp; 
3. KS Bharat 
4. Ashwin Hebbar

TRADE:

1. Shardul Thakur to Kolkata Knight Riders

(Release from DC franchise)

JSW and GMR co-owned franchise Delhi Capitals today revealed a list of retained and released players ahead of the Indian Premier League 2023 Mini-Auction which is set to be held later this year.

JSW and GMR co-owned franchise Delhi Capitals today revealed a list of retained and released players ahead of the Indian Premier League 2023 Mini-Auction which is set to be held later this year. The Delhi-based franchise has retained a total of 19 players which includes six overseas players. The players who have been retained by the franchise from their last season's fifth-place finish include Indian internationals Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Chetan Sakariya, Khaleel Ahmed, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, along with Ripal Patel, Sarfaraz Khan, Yash Dhull, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Pravin Dubey, Vicky Ostwal and Lalit Yadav. Delhi Capitals have also retained six overseas players which include Australian batter David Warner, West Indies batter Rovman Powell, South African fast bowlers Anrich Nortje & Lungi Ngidi, Bangladesh speedster Mustafizur Rahman and Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh. Meanwhile, the franchise has released four players which include Indian players Mandeep Singh, KS Bharat & Ashwin Hebbar and New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert. The Delhi Capitals have also traded all-rounder Shardul Thakur to Kolkata Knight Riders and brought all-rounder Aman Khan in place of him. Also read: IPL 2023: MS Dhoni-led CSK retain Ravindra Jadeja, release Dwayne Bravo, Chris Jordan RETENTIONS: INDIANS: 1. Rishabh Pant 2. Prithvi Shaw 3. Chetan Sakariya 4. Khaleel Ahmed 5. Kuldeep Yadav 6. Axar Patel 7.Ripal Patel 8. Sarfaraz Khan 9. Yash Dhull 10. Kamlesh Nagarkoti 11. Pravin Dubey 12. Vicky Ostwal 13. Lalit Yadav OVERSEAS: 1. David Warner 2. Rovman Powell 3. Anrich Nortje 4. Lungi Ngidi 5. Mustafizur Rahman 6. Mitchell Marsh RELEASES: 1. Tim Seifert 2. Mandeep Singh 3. KS Bharat 4. Ashwin Hebbar TRADE: 1. Shardul Thakur to Kolkata Knight Riders (Release from DC franchise)

Rishabh Pant's DC release Shardul Thakur, Tim Seifert, retain core players ahead of IPL 2023 auction

Pakistan have had a topsy-turvy ride in the T20 World Cup 2022 edition in Australia. Having lost their Super 12 opener in a thrilling clash versus India, they also went down to Zimbabwe but won three in a row, and were helped by the Netherlands, to enter the semi-finals of the mega event. Now, they are set to face Kane Williamson-led New Zealand in the first of the two semi-finals of the showpiece event Down Under.

Ahead of Pakistan's semis clash versus New Zealand, former Aussie captain, Ricky Ponting has named Shaheen Shah Afridi as the key player from the Men in Green camp.&nbsp;Speaking to the ICC's official website, Punter said, "He might say that he's not back to 100 per cent just yet, but from what I've seen it looks like he's going along beautifully and he now holds the key for Pakistan progressing in the tournament. (I never had any doubt) as you just know what he's capable of when he's out there on the field.&nbsp;And as I said, even if he's not at 100 per cent, if he's operating at 90 per cent, he's still going to have more of an impact on games than most because of how good he is."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-plays-some-shots-where-ben-stokes-on-suryakumar-yadav-ahead-of-india-eng-t20-wc-sf-clash-532147">'He plays some shots where.....' - Ben Stokes on Suryakumar Yadav ahead of India-ENG T20 WC SF clash</a>

The two-time ODI World Cup-winning captain Ponting said, "So look, he might have had a few worries in the back of his own mind and the Pakistan hierarchy and coaching group might have had a few worries in their mind, but not anymore. He's got through really well so far and hopefully for them two more games to go.”

Talking about Shaheen's run so far in the T20 WC, the pacer started off slowly but ended the Super 12 round with a four-fer versus Bangladesh. Overall, he has accounted for eight wickets from five games in the main draw of the competition, at an average of&nbsp;14.75. Babar &amp; Co. will hope for him to run through the Kiwi batting line-up on Wednesday at the iconic SCG, Sydney and confirm a spot in the T20 WC final. Shaheen has always fancied playing against the Black Caps. He ended with a stunning 3 for 28 in 10 overs during the Pakistan-NZ group stage clash in the 2019 ODI WC and followed it up with a tidy spell when both sides met in the 2021 T20 WC Super 12 round, ending with 1 for 21. The last two Pak-NZ World Cup face-offs have resulted in a win for the Men in Green.

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Pakistan have had a topsy-turvy ride in the T20 World Cup 2022 edition in Australia. Having lost their Super 12 opener in a thrilling clash versus India, they also went down to Zimbabwe but won three in a row, and were helped by the Netherlands, to enter the semi-finals of the mega event.

Pakistan have had a topsy-turvy ride in the T20 World Cup 2022 edition in Australia. Having lost their Super 12 opener in a thrilling clash versus India, they also went down to Zimbabwe but won three in a row, and were helped by the Netherlands, to enter the semi-finals of the mega event. Now, they are set to face Kane Williamson-led New Zealand in the first of the two semi-finals of the showpiece event Down Under. Ahead of Pakistan's semis clash versus New Zealand, former Aussie captain, Ricky Ponting has named Shaheen Shah Afridi as the key player from the Men in Green camp. Speaking to the ICC's official website, Punter said, "He might say that he's not back to 100 per cent just yet, but from what I've seen it looks like he's going along beautifully and he now holds the key for Pakistan progressing in the tournament. (I never had any doubt) as you just know what he's capable of when he's out there on the field. And as I said, even if he's not at 100 per cent, if he's operating at 90 per cent, he's still going to have more of an impact on games than most because of how good he is." ALSO READ | 'He plays some shots where.....' - Ben Stokes on Suryakumar Yadav ahead of India-ENG T20 WC SF clash The two-time ODI World Cup-winning captain Ponting said, "So look, he might have had a few worries in the back of his own mind and the Pakistan hierarchy and coaching group might have had a few worries in their mind, but not anymore. He's got through really well so far and hopefully for them two more games to go.” Talking about Shaheen's run so far in the T20 WC, the pacer started off slowly but ended the Super 12 round with a four-fer versus Bangladesh. Overall, he has accounted for eight wickets from five games in the main draw of the competition, at an average of 14.75. Babar & Co. will hope for him to run through the Kiwi batting line-up on Wednesday at the iconic SCG, Sydney and confirm a spot in the T20 WC final. Shaheen has always fancied playing against the Black Caps. He ended with a stunning 3 for 28 in 10 overs during the Pakistan-NZ group stage clash in the 2019 ODI WC and followed it up with a tidy spell when both sides met in the 2021 T20 WC Super 12 round, ending with 1 for 21. The last two Pak-NZ World Cup face-offs have resulted in a win for the Men in Green. ×

T20 WC 2022: Not Babar Azam! Ricky Ponting names key player for Pakistan ahead of semi-final vs New Zealand

Virat Kohli played a shot for the ages when he struck a stunning straight six against Haris Rauf during India's clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022. It was an incredible display of core strength from Kohli, who managed to send the shortish delivery over the rope by playing one of the most difficult shots in the game.

Australia legend Ricky Ponting has heaped praise on Kohli for producing the incredible shot which he thinks will go down as one of the most remembered in the history of the T20 World Cup. Kohli's iconic shot came en route to his fabulous unbeaten 82 which helped India clinch a last-ball thriller against Pakistan.

"It’s going to go down as one of the most remembered and talked about shots probably in - I won’t say white-ball cricket history - but certainly T20 World Cup history," said Ponting lauding Kohli for his brilliant skill.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/very-un-australian-michael-clarke-slams-aaron-finch-co-for-defensive-approach-in-t20-world-cup-531918">Very un-Australian: Michael Clarke slams Aaron Finch &amp; Co. for defensive approach in T20 World Cup</a>

Ponting pointed out how playing the iconic shot was not easy considering it required significant strength from the core and the power to still send the ball to the distance. The Australian legend acknowledged Kohli is one of the few players in international cricket at present who can pull off the extraordinary shot.

"He stood up on top of the bounce of the ball, and there’s a certain degree of skill involved in that but you’ve got to look at the strength involved in a shot like that as well. All that strength came through his core. You’ve got a steady base and the power to create and play that shot from there, comes through your core," said Ponting.

"We’ve seen him with his cricket gear off, he’s pretty fit. There’s a lot of other players that just wouldn’t have been strong enough through their core to do something like that but he’s one of the guys that can," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rishabh-pant-or-dinesh-karthik-ravi-shastri-picks-indias-wicket-keeper-for-t20-wc-semi-final-vs-england-531977">Pant or Karthik? Ravi Shastri picks India's wicket-keeper for T20 WC semi-final vs England</a>

Kohli played some phenomenal strokes throughout his 82-run knock but it was the six against Rauf that&nbsp;stole the show. After beating Pakistan in a thriller, India went on to beat the likes of Netherlands, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe to make it to the semi-finals where they will face England on Thursday (November 10).

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Virat Kohli played a shot for the ages when he struck a stunning straight six against Haris Rauf during India's clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022.

Virat Kohli played a shot for the ages when he struck a stunning straight six against Haris Rauf during India's clash against arch-rivals Pakistan in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022. It was an incredible display of core strength from Kohli, who managed to send the shortish delivery over the rope by playing one of the most difficult shots in the game. Australia legend Ricky Ponting has heaped praise on Kohli for producing the incredible shot which he thinks will go down as one of the most remembered in the history of the T20 World Cup. Kohli's iconic shot came en route to his fabulous unbeaten 82 which helped India clinch a last-ball thriller against Pakistan. "It’s going to go down as one of the most remembered and talked about shots probably in - I won’t say white-ball cricket history - but certainly T20 World Cup history," said Ponting lauding Kohli for his brilliant skill. Also Read: Very un-Australian: Michael Clarke slams Aaron Finch & Co. for defensive approach in T20 World Cup Ponting pointed out how playing the iconic shot was not easy considering it required significant strength from the core and the power to still send the ball to the distance. The Australian legend acknowledged Kohli is one of the few players in international cricket at present who can pull off the extraordinary shot. "He stood up on top of the bounce of the ball, and there’s a certain degree of skill involved in that but you’ve got to look at the strength involved in a shot like that as well. All that strength came through his core. You’ve got a steady base and the power to create and play that shot from there, comes through your core," said Ponting. "We’ve seen him with his cricket gear off, he’s pretty fit. There’s a lot of other players that just wouldn’t have been strong enough through their core to do something like that but he’s one of the guys that can," he added. Also Read: Pant or Karthik? Ravi Shastri picks India's wicket-keeper for T20 WC semi-final vs England Kohli played some phenomenal strokes throughout his 82-run knock but it was the six against Rauf that stole the show. After beating Pakistan in a thriller, India went on to beat the likes of Netherlands, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe to make it to the semi-finals where they will face England on Thursday (November 10). ×

Kohli's six against Rauf will go down as one of the most remembered shots in T20 WC history: Ricky Ponting

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting recalled how leaving Mumbai Indians changed a young Suryakumar Yadav's career in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Yadav, who is currently the no.2 ranked batter in T20Is, has come a long way in his career and has gone on to become an integral member of India's white-ball squad.

It was not an easy path to the national team for the 32-year-old, who had to wait until last year to make his debut for the Indian team. However, it took him little time in establishing his credentials as one of the most exciting batters in T20Is after getting his dream India debut.

A young Yadav was part of the Mumbai Indians' squad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting was with the five-time champions. He rarely got chances in the playing XI and was traded to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2014, a move that proved to be a game-changing one in his career.

Yadav became a vital cog in KKR's middle-order under Gambhir and played several match-winning knocks for the team as his stocks rose. He was picked up by Mumbai Indians in the 2018 player auction and has since played an instrumental role in Rohit Sharma &amp; Co.'s success by helping them win two titles.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rishabh-pant-arshdeep-singh-to-return-indias-predicted-playing-xi-for-1st-t20i-vs-south-africa-520497">Rishabh Pant, Arshdeep Singh to return? India's predicted playing XI for 1st T20I vs South Africa</a>

“When I was in Mumbai, he was an 18-19-year-old kid, a young man. He was in our squad not quite getting a game. The year after I left, he was traded to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) where his career started to turn around,” Ponting said in the ICC review.

“He got a bit of an opportunity in the middle order and then MI bought him back in the auction and has been a match-winning player for them for five or six seasons now, to the point that he is one of their retained players,” he added.

Yadav has been one of Mumbai Indians' best batters since joining the team in 2018. He has so far notched up 2036 runs in 68 matches for the five-time champions and was retained by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction earlier this year.

He was rewarded for his consistent performances in the IPL and the domestic circuit by making his India debut last year and has since gone on to prove why he is so highly rated. The 32-year-old has been a prolific run-getter for India in T20Is and is set to be India's no.4 at the upcoming T20 World Cup this year.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sa-1st-t20i-virat-kohli-only-35-runs-away-from-leapfrogging-rohit-sharma-in-elite-list-520504">IND vs SA, 1st T20I: Virat Kohli only 35 runs away from leapfrogging Rohit Sharma in elite list</a>

Recalling his time with a young Yadav, Ponting said those who have been around him from a young age always knew the star India batter had talent in abundance and just needed the opportunities to prove himself at the highest level.

“Anyone who has seen him from a young age knew that he had an abundance of talent. The more he has played, the more he has learned about himself, the more different situations he has found himself in a game, he has found a way to not just survive, but thrive in the IPL at international level,” Ponting said. 
&nbsp;

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting recalled how leaving Mumbai Indians changed a young Suryakumar Yadav's career in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Yadav, who is currently the no.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting recalled how leaving Mumbai Indians changed a young Suryakumar Yadav's career in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Yadav, who is currently the no.2 ranked batter in T20Is, has come a long way in his career and has gone on to become an integral member of India's white-ball squad. It was not an easy path to the national team for the 32-year-old, who had to wait until last year to make his debut for the Indian team. However, it took him little time in establishing his credentials as one of the most exciting batters in T20Is after getting his dream India debut. A young Yadav was part of the Mumbai Indians' squad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting was with the five-time champions. He rarely got chances in the playing XI and was traded to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2014, a move that proved to be a game-changing one in his career. Yadav became a vital cog in KKR's middle-order under Gambhir and played several match-winning knocks for the team as his stocks rose. He was picked up by Mumbai Indians in the 2018 player auction and has since played an instrumental role in Rohit Sharma & Co.'s success by helping them win two titles. Also Read: Rishabh Pant, Arshdeep Singh to return? India's predicted playing XI for 1st T20I vs South Africa “When I was in Mumbai, he was an 18-19-year-old kid, a young man. He was in our squad not quite getting a game. The year after I left, he was traded to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) where his career started to turn around,” Ponting said in the ICC review. “He got a bit of an opportunity in the middle order and then MI bought him back in the auction and has been a match-winning player for them for five or six seasons now, to the point that he is one of their retained players,” he added. Yadav has been one of Mumbai Indians' best batters since joining the team in 2018. He has so far notched up 2036 runs in 68 matches for the five-time champions and was retained by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction earlier this year. He was rewarded for his consistent performances in the IPL and the domestic circuit by making his India debut last year and has since gone on to prove why he is so highly rated. The 32-year-old has been a prolific run-getter for India in T20Is and is set to be India's no.4 at the upcoming T20 World Cup this year. Also Read: IND vs SA, 1st T20I: Virat Kohli only 35 runs away from leapfrogging Rohit Sharma in elite list Recalling his time with a young Yadav, Ponting said those who have been around him from a young age always knew the star India batter had talent in abundance and just needed the opportunities to prove himself at the highest level. “Anyone who has seen him from a young age knew that he had an abundance of talent. The more he has played, the more he has learned about himself, the more different situations he has found himself in a game, he has found a way to not just survive, but thrive in the IPL at international level,” Ponting said.

He was not quite getting a game: Ricky Ponting recalls how KKR move changed Suryakumar Yadav's career

Virat Kohli returned to international cricket during the Asia Cup after a break post the England tour. The 33-year-old announced his return in style, ending the continental tournament as the second-highest run-getter (276 runs) in five outings and ended his international century drought in India's face-off versus Afghanistan.

Kohli will now look to carry on in a similar stead and play a key role in guiding India to a title win in the upcoming T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia from October-November. Ahead of the showpiece event Down Under, India are set to host Australia in three T20Is and South Africa in three T20Is and ODIs each. Prior to the Australia T20Is, which kicks off on Tuesday (September 20), Kohli is just 207 runs away from surpassing head coach and former Indian captain Rahul Dravid in an elite list of batters.

Most international runs

Sachin Tendulkar - 34,357

Kumar Sangakkara - 28,016

Ricky Ponting - 27,483

Mahela Jayawardene - 25,957

Jacques Kallis - 25,534

Rahul Dravid - 24,208

Virat Kohli - 24,002

Brian Lara - 22,358

Sanath Jayasuriya - 21,032

Shivnarine Chanderpaul - 20,988'

If Kohli has a memorable series versus the defending champions Australia, against whom he averages an impressive 64.42, he might pip Dravid to take the sixth spot in the overall list, becoming India's second-highest run-getter as well.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-virat-kohli-break-sachin-tendulkars-historic-feat-ricky-ponting-shares-his-take-517856">Will Virat Kohli break Sachin Tendulkar's historic feat? Ricky Ponting shares his take</a>

Ahead of the series opener, captain Rohit also hinted at the possibility of using Kohli as an opener in the T20 WC. In&nbsp;a press conference, he said, "Virat Kohli is our third opener and he will open in some of the games. In the last match of Asia Cup, we were happy with the way he played. But KL Rahul will open the batting in the World Cup, we do not want to experiment with that position a lot,&nbsp;his performance sometimes goes quite unnoticed."

"He is a very important player for Team India. For us, I just want to make it clear, we are clear in our thought process. We do not have any confusion, we are very clear what KL Rahul brings to the table for us, he is a quality player and is very important for us. His presence at the top is very crucial for us," Hitman added.

Virat Kohli returned to international cricket during the Asia Cup after a break post the England tour. The 33-year-old announced his return in style, ending the continental tournament as the second-highest run-getter (276 runs) in five outings and ended his international century drought in India's face-off versus Afghanistan.

Virat Kohli returned to international cricket during the Asia Cup after a break post the England tour. The 33-year-old announced his return in style, ending the continental tournament as the second-highest run-getter (276 runs) in five outings and ended his international century drought in India's face-off versus Afghanistan. Kohli will now look to carry on in a similar stead and play a key role in guiding India to a title win in the upcoming T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia from October-November. Ahead of the showpiece event Down Under, India are set to host Australia in three T20Is and South Africa in three T20Is and ODIs each. Prior to the Australia T20Is, which kicks off on Tuesday (September 20), Kohli is just 207 runs away from surpassing head coach and former Indian captain Rahul Dravid in an elite list of batters. Most international runs Sachin Tendulkar - 34,357 Kumar Sangakkara - 28,016 Ricky Ponting - 27,483 Mahela Jayawardene - 25,957 Jacques Kallis - 25,534 Rahul Dravid - 24,208 Virat Kohli - 24,002 Brian Lara - 22,358 Sanath Jayasuriya - 21,032 Shivnarine Chanderpaul - 20,988' If Kohli has a memorable series versus the defending champions Australia, against whom he averages an impressive 64.42, he might pip Dravid to take the sixth spot in the overall list, becoming India's second-highest run-getter as well. ALSO READ | Will Virat Kohli break Sachin Tendulkar's historic feat? Ricky Ponting shares his take Ahead of the series opener, captain Rohit also hinted at the possibility of using Kohli as an opener in the T20 WC. In a press conference, he said, "Virat Kohli is our third opener and he will open in some of the games. In the last match of Asia Cup, we were happy with the way he played. But KL Rahul will open the batting in the World Cup, we do not want to experiment with that position a lot, his performance sometimes goes quite unnoticed." "He is a very important player for Team India. For us, I just want to make it clear, we are clear in our thought process. We do not have any confusion, we are very clear what KL Rahul brings to the table for us, he is a quality player and is very important for us. His presence at the top is very crucial for us," Hitman added.

Ind vs Aus: Virat Kohli 207 runs away from overtaking head coach Rahul Dravid in elite list

India had a terrible run in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, held in the UAE. After dominating the group stage, the Men in Blue fell flat in the Super Four round with back-to-back defeats -- at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively -- to bow out from the race for the final.&nbsp;

However, the Indian team management and ardent cricket fans of the country breathed a huge sigh of relief with Virat Kohli returning to form. Featuring at the highest level after a break post the England tour, the 33-year-old ended with 276 runs -- second-most in the 2022 edition -- and ended his century drought by slamming his much-awaited 71st international ton.&nbsp;

Kohli slammed a brilliant 61-ball 122 not out, striking at 200, in India's last Super Four clash where they faced Afghanistan in Dubai. Despite it being an inconsequential tie for the seven-time winners, Kohli gave plenty to cheer for the Indian fans with his memorable ton. He moved past Ricky Ponting (70) to now have second-most centuries in international cricket, after Sachin Tendulkar (100).&nbsp;

While he still far away from surpassing Tendulkar's tally, former Aussie skipper and two-time ODI World Cup-winning captain Ponting isn't ruling out Kohli's chances of breaking the Master Blaster's sensational record."

If you would have asked me three years ago, I’d have said yes. But the fact that it has slowed down as much as it did yeah, I still think that it is possible for him, there’s no doubt," the legendary Australian said in the latest episode of ICC Review Show.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-kohli-rahul-didnt-hit-the-ground-running-ex-pakistan-cricketer-on-indias-asia-cup-debacle-517825">'Rohit, Kohli &amp; Rahul didn't hit the ground running': Ex-Pakistan cricketer on India's Asia Cup debacle</a>&nbsp;

Ponting, however, feels that even though Kohli has time on his side, it won't be easy for him to slam 30 more centuries at the highest level. "I still think he has got a number of years ahead of him, but I guess to still be 30 international hundreds behind, that’s a lot. That’s five or six Test hundreds a year maybe for the next three or four years. If you throw a couple of one-day ones, maybe the odd T20 ones on top of it," he opined.&nbsp;

"Look, I’ll never say never with Virat because you know once he gets on a bit of a roll, you know how hungry he is and how keen for success he is. I’ll never say never that’s for sure," Punter concluded.

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India had a terrible run in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, held in the UAE. After dominating the group stage, the Men in Blue fell flat in the Super Four round with back-to-back defeats -- at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively -- to bow out from the race for the final.

India had a terrible run in the Asia Cup 2022 edition, held in the UAE. After dominating the group stage, the Men in Blue fell flat in the Super Four round with back-to-back defeats -- at the hands of Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively -- to bow out from the race for the final. However, the Indian team management and ardent cricket fans of the country breathed a huge sigh of relief with Virat Kohli returning to form. Featuring at the highest level after a break post the England tour, the 33-year-old ended with 276 runs -- second-most in the 2022 edition -- and ended his century drought by slamming his much-awaited 71st international ton. Kohli slammed a brilliant 61-ball 122 not out, striking at 200, in India's last Super Four clash where they faced Afghanistan in Dubai. Despite it being an inconsequential tie for the seven-time winners, Kohli gave plenty to cheer for the Indian fans with his memorable ton. He moved past Ricky Ponting (70) to now have second-most centuries in international cricket, after Sachin Tendulkar (100). While he still far away from surpassing Tendulkar's tally, former Aussie skipper and two-time ODI World Cup-winning captain Ponting isn't ruling out Kohli's chances of breaking the Master Blaster's sensational record." If you would have asked me three years ago, I’d have said yes. But the fact that it has slowed down as much as it did yeah, I still think that it is possible for him, there’s no doubt," the legendary Australian said in the latest episode of ICC Review Show. ALSO READ | 'Rohit, Kohli & Rahul didn't hit the ground running': Ex-Pakistan cricketer on India's Asia Cup debacle Ponting, however, feels that even though Kohli has time on his side, it won't be easy for him to slam 30 more centuries at the highest level. "I still think he has got a number of years ahead of him, but I guess to still be 30 international hundreds behind, that’s a lot. That’s five or six Test hundreds a year maybe for the next three or four years. If you throw a couple of one-day ones, maybe the odd T20 ones on top of it," he opined. "Look, I’ll never say never with Virat because you know once he gets on a bit of a roll, you know how hungry he is and how keen for success he is. I’ll never say never that’s for sure," Punter concluded. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Will Virat Kohli break Sachin Tendulkar's historic feat? Ricky Ponting shares his take

Aaron Finch announced his ODI retirement during Australia's home series versus New Zealand. The series finale became his last-ever appearance in the 50-over format, ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup. Ahead of Australia's three-match T20I series opener versus hosts India, former Aussie skipper and two-time ODI World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting has named his choice as Finch's successor in the shorter format.

Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, David Warner are among the contenders with the likes of Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, etc. also having a lot of experience under their belt to take up the role. "I think it’ll be Pat Cummins, to be honest," Ponting told host Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review. "I know he doesn’t play all the ODIs for obvious reasons, because his workload in Test cricket has been, like all the fast bowlers, very high in the last few years. I know they are very conscious of making sure that they’ve got Cummins, (Josh) Hazlewood and (Mitchell) Starc 100 percent fit and healthy for the big Test series to come around. But look, I'd be surprised if it wasn’t Pat Cummins," he opined.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mohammed-shami-out-of-australia-t20-series-due-to-covid19-likely-to-be-replaced-by-umesh-yadav-517310">Mohammed Shami out of Australia T20 series due to COVID19, likely to be replaced by Umesh Yadav</a>

On Smith's chances and Warner's name being discussed despite what happened in the Cape Town Test in early 2018 (with them being involved in the sandpaper gate fiasco), Ponting stated, "I’m just basing this on what’s happened with Steve Smith he is now the Test vice-captain again, having been the captain and really at the center of the whole controversy in Cape Town. He is now the Test vice-captain, which means obviously that if Pat Cummins ever misses a Test, then Steve Smith is going to be the captain of Australia again in Test match cricket."

"So, if that’s the case, and all being even and reasonably fair, then I think it would be OK, as far as I’m concerned, for David Warner to have his name (in the ring). Not saying that they have to make him captain, but he should be able to be in the conversation," the Delhi Capitals' head coach asserted.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/people-stay-quiet-thinking-they-cannot-criticise-india-ex-pakistan-captain-on-bccis-growing-influence-517563">People stay quiet thinking they cannot criticise India: Ex-Pakistan captain on BCCI's growing influence</a>

The 47-year-old Punter also opened up on Finch's decision and said, "I wasn’t surprised actually. I sort of personally felt that he was probably one game away or one failure away from getting dropped anyway. That’s how bad his last 12 months have been in one-day international cricket. I think it was the right time. I actually thought it was really noble, what he said as well, that stepping down when he did, it gives the next captain a reasonable time leading getting himself and his team ready for the next World Cup.

"I was afforded a similar thing as well when I took over the captaincy, and when I stood down and Michael Clarke took over, I was very aware of what was coming up. I wanted to give the next captain a very good run into the next big tournament that they played," he signed off.

Finch retired from ODIs with&nbsp;5,406 runs in 146 matches, averaging 38.89 along with 17 centuries.

Aaron Finch announced his ODI retirement during Australia's home series versus New Zealand. The series finale became his last-ever appearance in the 50-over format, ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Aaron Finch announced his ODI retirement during Australia's home series versus New Zealand. The series finale became his last-ever appearance in the 50-over format, ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup. Ahead of Australia's three-match T20I series opener versus hosts India, former Aussie skipper and two-time ODI World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting has named his choice as Finch's successor in the shorter format. Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, David Warner are among the contenders with the likes of Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, etc. also having a lot of experience under their belt to take up the role. "I think it’ll be Pat Cummins, to be honest," Ponting told host Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review. "I know he doesn’t play all the ODIs for obvious reasons, because his workload in Test cricket has been, like all the fast bowlers, very high in the last few years. I know they are very conscious of making sure that they’ve got Cummins, (Josh) Hazlewood and (Mitchell) Starc 100 percent fit and healthy for the big Test series to come around. But look, I'd be surprised if it wasn’t Pat Cummins," he opined. ALSO READ | Mohammed Shami out of Australia T20 series due to COVID19, likely to be replaced by Umesh Yadav On Smith's chances and Warner's name being discussed despite what happened in the Cape Town Test in early 2018 (with them being involved in the sandpaper gate fiasco), Ponting stated, "I’m just basing this on what’s happened with Steve Smith he is now the Test vice-captain again, having been the captain and really at the center of the whole controversy in Cape Town. He is now the Test vice-captain, which means obviously that if Pat Cummins ever misses a Test, then Steve Smith is going to be the captain of Australia again in Test match cricket." "So, if that’s the case, and all being even and reasonably fair, then I think it would be OK, as far as I’m concerned, for David Warner to have his name (in the ring). Not saying that they have to make him captain, but he should be able to be in the conversation," the Delhi Capitals' head coach asserted. ALSO READ | People stay quiet thinking they cannot criticise India: Ex-Pakistan captain on BCCI's growing influence The 47-year-old Punter also opened up on Finch's decision and said, "I wasn’t surprised actually. I sort of personally felt that he was probably one game away or one failure away from getting dropped anyway. That’s how bad his last 12 months have been in one-day international cricket. I think it was the right time. I actually thought it was really noble, what he said as well, that stepping down when he did, it gives the next captain a reasonable time leading getting himself and his team ready for the next World Cup. "I was afforded a similar thing as well when I took over the captaincy, and when I stood down and Michael Clarke took over, I was very aware of what was coming up. I wanted to give the next captain a very good run into the next big tournament that they played," he signed off. Finch retired from ODIs with 5,406 runs in 146 matches, averaging 38.89 along with 17 centuries.

Pat Cummins or David Warner? Ricky Ponting names Aaron Finch's successor as Australia's ODI captain

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting wants to see Virat Kohli return to form and be at his best in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 later this year. Kohli is currently in action for India in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 in the UAE where he has shown glimpses of his prime past with two useful knocks against Pakistan and Hong Kong, respectively.

Kohli made his comeback for Team India in the Asia Cup after a month-long break as he was rested from India's tour of West Indies and Zimbabwe amid questions over his spot in the T20I team. All eyes were on the senior batter on his comeback against Pakistan amid debates over his poor form.

While he couldn't notch up a big knock, Kohli made a crucial contribution with 35 runs to help India beat Pakistan and get off to a winning start. He followed it up with a brilliant half-century against Hong Kong. Speaking about Kohli's revival, Ponting said he was pleased to see the Indian batting maestri back among the runs.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-sri-lankan-player-does-bizarre-dance-to-mock-bangladesh-after-knocking-them-out-of-asia-cup-2022-512311">WATCH: Sri Lankan player does bizarre dance to mock Bangladesh after knocking them out of Asia Cup 2022</a>

"First and foremost, great to see him back in the runs. No surprise that he did it in a run chase. We’ve always known that about him. His record suggests he is better when his team is chasing runs," Ponting said on the latest ICC review after Kohli's performance against Pakistan.

The Australian cricket legend also spoke about Kohli's recent revelations regarding his mental health struggles and said the senior India batter is playing with more freedom now. Kohli had recently revealed for the first time in ten years, that he didn't touch his bat even once during his one-month break away from cricket.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-scope-of-taking-a-chance-sunil-gavaskar-issues-warning-to-struggling-kl-rahul-ahead-of-t20-wc-2022-512274">'No scope of taking a chance': Sunil Gavaskar issues warning to struggling KL Rahul ahead of T20 WC 2022</a>

Ponting&nbsp;wishes to see Kohli at his best in the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia and be one of the best players in the tournament.

"When I saw his runs and then I've read on social media over the last few days, it sounded like he found himself in quite a dark place. Like a lot of us men, he wasn’t willing to talk about it and share it," said the former Australia captain.

“It sounds like when he has started to share, started to talk, it might have just freed him up a bit and he started to feel better about himself again.

"I just hope that we see him back at his best and in the World Cup. I’d rather see Virat come out here (in Australia) and be one of the leading players in the tournament, but just make sure he doesn’t score many runs against Australia when they play," he added.

Kohli will look to continue his fine form with the willow when India lock horns with the winner of the match between Pakistan and Hong Kong in the Super 4 on Sunday (September 04).

&nbsp;

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting wants to see Virat Kohli return to form and be at his best in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 later this year. Kohli is currently in action for India in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 in the UAE where he has shown glimpses of his prime past with two useful knocks against Pakistan and Hong Kong, respectively.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting wants to see Virat Kohli return to form and be at his best in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 later this year. Kohli is currently in action for India in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 in the UAE where he has shown glimpses of his prime past with two useful knocks against Pakistan and Hong Kong, respectively. Kohli made his comeback for Team India in the Asia Cup after a month-long break as he was rested from India's tour of West Indies and Zimbabwe amid questions over his spot in the T20I team. All eyes were on the senior batter on his comeback against Pakistan amid debates over his poor form. While he couldn't notch up a big knock, Kohli made a crucial contribution with 35 runs to help India beat Pakistan and get off to a winning start. He followed it up with a brilliant half-century against Hong Kong. Speaking about Kohli's revival, Ponting said he was pleased to see the Indian batting maestri back among the runs. Also Read: WATCH: Sri Lankan player does bizarre dance to mock Bangladesh after knocking them out of Asia Cup 2022 "First and foremost, great to see him back in the runs. No surprise that he did it in a run chase. We’ve always known that about him. His record suggests he is better when his team is chasing runs," Ponting said on the latest ICC review after Kohli's performance against Pakistan. The Australian cricket legend also spoke about Kohli's recent revelations regarding his mental health struggles and said the senior India batter is playing with more freedom now. Kohli had recently revealed for the first time in ten years, that he didn't touch his bat even once during his one-month break away from cricket. Also Read: 'No scope of taking a chance': Sunil Gavaskar issues warning to struggling KL Rahul ahead of T20 WC 2022 Ponting wishes to see Kohli at his best in the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia and be one of the best players in the tournament. "When I saw his runs and then I've read on social media over the last few days, it sounded like he found himself in quite a dark place. Like a lot of us men, he wasn’t willing to talk about it and share it," said the former Australia captain. “It sounds like when he has started to share, started to talk, it might have just freed him up a bit and he started to feel better about himself again. "I just hope that we see him back at his best and in the World Cup. I’d rather see Virat come out here (in Australia) and be one of the leading players in the tournament, but just make sure he doesn’t score many runs against Australia when they play," he added. Kohli will look to continue his fine form with the willow when India lock horns with the winner of the match between Pakistan and Hong Kong in the Super 4 on Sunday (September 04).

I just hope to see Virat Kohli back at his best in T20 World Cup, says Ricky Ponting

Australian cricketing icon Ricky Ponting recently offered fans some insight into his personal struggles with mental health while discussing the issues that Virat Kohli has faced in recent times.

Virat Kohli, who was previously quite outspoken about the essence of mental health awareness, was forced to take a step back and recoup before making his way back to active contention in the latest edition of the Asia Cup. The break from cricket was prompted by a need for some rest for Kohli, who is currently experiencing a century drought.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/babar-azam-reveals-pakistans-gameplan-to-outclass-india-hails-new-comer-naseem-shah-for-performance-511826" hreflang="en">Babar Azam reveals Pakistan's gameplan to outclass India, hails new-comer Naseem Shah for performance</a>

During an interaction on the ICC Review, Ponting admitted that he had faced a similar situation back in the day, albeit at a much lower scale. However, he assured fans, and Kohli, that it was a very normal part of life to experience such issues.

"I sort of faced it in the last couple of years of my career where my career tapered off quite quickly... It was almost, the harder I work, the worse I got. I was so focused and conscious on being perfect and doing things exactly right, thinking I had to do that to get the best out of myself, but all I was doing was putting pressure on myself and not letting myself play the game the way I always played it. I reckon it might be a bit of that creeping in with Virat as well.

"It's just human nature when things aren't going the way you want, you push harder, you try harder, and the harder you try the harder it gets," Ponting asserted.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-makes-t20i-history-becomes-the-first-player-to-reach-3500-runs-511866" hreflang="en">Rohit Sharma makes T20I history, becomes the first player to reach 3500 runs</a>

The 47-year-old subsequently admitted that taking a month off is something that will truly have helped Kohli get his thoughts in order and make a triumphant return to the cricket pitch.

His first match against Pakistan was no memorable outing for the former Indian skipper, he put on an impressive performance against Hong Kong, recording a long-awaited half-century. Although this may not necessarily mean that the Kohli that fans knew and loved is back, it certainly means that things are moving in the right direction.&nbsp;

Australian cricketing icon Ricky Ponting recently offered fans some insight into his personal struggles with mental health while discussing the issues that Virat Kohli has faced in recent times.

Australian cricketing icon Ricky Ponting recently offered fans some insight into his personal struggles with mental health while discussing the issues that Virat Kohli has faced in recent times. Virat Kohli, who was previously quite outspoken about the essence of mental health awareness, was forced to take a step back and recoup before making his way back to active contention in the latest edition of the Asia Cup. The break from cricket was prompted by a need for some rest for Kohli, who is currently experiencing a century drought. ALSO READ: Babar Azam reveals Pakistan's gameplan to outclass India, hails new-comer Naseem Shah for performance During an interaction on the ICC Review, Ponting admitted that he had faced a similar situation back in the day, albeit at a much lower scale. However, he assured fans, and Kohli, that it was a very normal part of life to experience such issues. "I sort of faced it in the last couple of years of my career where my career tapered off quite quickly... It was almost, the harder I work, the worse I got. I was so focused and conscious on being perfect and doing things exactly right, thinking I had to do that to get the best out of myself, but all I was doing was putting pressure on myself and not letting myself play the game the way I always played it. I reckon it might be a bit of that creeping in with Virat as well. "It's just human nature when things aren't going the way you want, you push harder, you try harder, and the harder you try the harder it gets," Ponting asserted. ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma makes T20I history, becomes the first player to reach 3500 runs The 47-year-old subsequently admitted that taking a month off is something that will truly have helped Kohli get his thoughts in order and make a triumphant return to the cricket pitch. His first match against Pakistan was no memorable outing for the former Indian skipper, he put on an impressive performance against Hong Kong, recording a long-awaited half-century. Although this may not necessarily mean that the Kohli that fans knew and loved is back, it certainly means that things are moving in the right direction.

'Just human nature'- Ricky Ponting recalls his mental health issues as he rallies behind Virat Kohli

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting had recently lavished praise on Team India batter Suryakumar Yadav and compared him to the South Africa legend AB de Villiers for his ability to play shots 360 degrees around the ground. While backing him to be India's no.4 at the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, Ponting hailed Surykumar as an 'exciting' player.

However, Ponting's comparison of Suryakumar with De Villiers over his 360-degree game has not gone down well with former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt, who took a dig at the Australian legend for his recent comments. While Butt agreed Suryakumar is a talented batter, the ex-Pakistan batter said even the Team India star won't agree with Ponting's comparison.

“Even Suryakumar would realise that the comparison was a bit too much. Suryakumar has just started playing international cricket. He is talented and has played some very good knocks. But straight to AB de Villiers? Ponting should have waited a bit more. Suryakumar is yet to play in big tournaments. Fact is nobody ever has played cricket like De Villiers. You can maybe compare him with Viv Richards,” Butt said in a video&nbsp;on his YouTube channel.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sourav-ganguly-opines-on-team-indias-multiple-captaincy-changes-in-2022-explains-how-it-has-been-beneficial-507450">Ganguly opines on Team India's multiple captaincy changes in 2022, explains how it has been beneficial</a>

Suryakumar has been one of the most consistent performers for India in limited-overs cricket since making his international debut last year. He has been excellent with the bat and is likely to be a permanent feature in India's playing XI in the T20 World Cup 2022 Down Under. Known for his swashbuckling style of batting, Surykumar has often been praised for his range of shots.&nbsp;

He has all sorts of strokes in his bag and has the ability to dispatch both pacers and spinners to all parts of the ground. While there is no questioning his skills and talent, Butt believes no batter from the present era comes close to what De Villiers was during his playing days. The ex-Pakistan batter also took a cheeky dig at Ponting for his comments stating that he must have suffered jet lag.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-cricketers-only-play-ipl-or-big-bash-kapil-dev-wants-icc-to-protect-test-and-odi-cricket-507506">Will cricketers only play IPL or Big Bash? Kapil Dev wants ICC to protect Test and ODI cricket</a>

“I don’t think any player like that has even picked up a bat in recent years. The impact has to be of that level that oppositions know that if you cannot dismiss him you cannot win the match or someone who possess the skill of making an incredible turnaround in a game. I feel no one in even recent history has ever played like him," said the former Pakistan skipper.

There is Root, Williamson, Kohli as well who has been world no.1 batsman and has scored incredible hundreds, Rohit Sharma as well. But you skip all these names and straightaway jump to De Villiers...maybe Ponting suffered a jet lag,” he added.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting had recently lavished praise on Team India batter Suryakumar Yadav and compared him to the South Africa legend AB de Villiers for his ability to play shots 360 degrees around the ground.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting had recently lavished praise on Team India batter Suryakumar Yadav and compared him to the South Africa legend AB de Villiers for his ability to play shots 360 degrees around the ground. While backing him to be India's no.4 at the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, Ponting hailed Surykumar as an 'exciting' player. However, Ponting's comparison of Suryakumar with De Villiers over his 360-degree game has not gone down well with former Pakistan skipper Salman Butt, who took a dig at the Australian legend for his recent comments. While Butt agreed Suryakumar is a talented batter, the ex-Pakistan batter said even the Team India star won't agree with Ponting's comparison. “Even Suryakumar would realise that the comparison was a bit too much. Suryakumar has just started playing international cricket. He is talented and has played some very good knocks. But straight to AB de Villiers? Ponting should have waited a bit more. Suryakumar is yet to play in big tournaments. Fact is nobody ever has played cricket like De Villiers. You can maybe compare him with Viv Richards,” Butt said in a video on his YouTube channel. Also Read: Ganguly opines on Team India's multiple captaincy changes in 2022, explains how it has been beneficial Suryakumar has been one of the most consistent performers for India in limited-overs cricket since making his international debut last year. He has been excellent with the bat and is likely to be a permanent feature in India's playing XI in the T20 World Cup 2022 Down Under. Known for his swashbuckling style of batting, Surykumar has often been praised for his range of shots. He has all sorts of strokes in his bag and has the ability to dispatch both pacers and spinners to all parts of the ground. While there is no questioning his skills and talent, Butt believes no batter from the present era comes close to what De Villiers was during his playing days. The ex-Pakistan batter also took a cheeky dig at Ponting for his comments stating that he must have suffered jet lag. Also Read: Will cricketers only play IPL or Big Bash? Kapil Dev wants ICC to protect Test and ODI cricket “I don’t think any player like that has even picked up a bat in recent years. The impact has to be of that level that oppositions know that if you cannot dismiss him you cannot win the match or someone who possess the skill of making an incredible turnaround in a game. I feel no one in even recent history has ever played like him," said the former Pakistan skipper. There is Root, Williamson, Kohli as well who has been world no.1 batsman and has scored incredible hundreds, Rohit Sharma as well. But you skip all these names and straightaway jump to De Villiers...maybe Ponting suffered a jet lag,” he added.

Maybe he suffered jet lag: Former Pakistan captain reacts after Ponting compares Suryakumar to De Villiers

The legendary Ricky Ponting has lavished praise on Team India's star batter Suryakumar Yadav hailing him for his ability to play shots 360 degrees around the ground. The former Australia skipper believes Surykumar should be India's number four at the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia this year.

Suryakumar has been a prolific run-getter for India in limited-overs cricket ever since making his debut for the Men in Blue last year. He was selected in India's squad for the T20 World Cup 2021 last year owing to his consistency, however, the right-hand batter failed to live up to the expectations as India bowed out from the group stage.

However, he has once again been consistent with the willow in the run-up to the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year and looks set to be part of India's squad for the showpiece event. Ponting believes Suryakumar should be part of India's playing XI if he is picked and that fans in Australia will enjoy his batting.

"He's a very, very exciting player and I'm sure someone that's going to find himself in their team, not just their squad," Ponting said on the latest episode of The ICC Review.

"I think you'd find him in their team for the T20 World Cup. And if he's in that team, then I think all the fans in Australia are going to see a very, very good player. He's quite a confident person. He backs himself and he's never going to step down from a challenge or any situation that arises in a game. I feel he thinks he can win that situation and therefore go on and win the game for his team," the former Australia captain added.

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/saqlain-told-me-about-sachin-i-didnt-know-him-former-pakistan-pacer-shoaib-akhtar-makes-bold-claim-507195">Saqlain told me about Sachin, I didn't know him: Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar</a>

Ponting went on to compare Suryakumar with South African great AB de Villiers, who was known for his wide range of shots. The former Australia captain believes Surykumar has a similar range as a batter and can play a variety of strokes to send the ball to all parts of the ground.

"Surya (Yadav) scores 360 degrees around the ground, a bit like an AB de Villiers did when he was in his actual prime. The lap shots, the late cuts, you know, the ramps over the keeper's head. He can hit down the ground," Ponting said.

"He hits really well over the leg side, flicks to deep backward square particularly well, and he's a good player of fast bowling and is a good player of spin bowling," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/let-him-practice-bcci-president-sourav-ganguly-reacts-to-virat-kohlis-lean-patch-ahead-of-asia-cup-2022-507186">'Let him practice': BCCI president Ganguly reacts to Kohli's lean patch ahead of Asia Cup 2022</a>

Suryakumar has so far played 13 ODIs and 23 T20Is for India, amassing 340 and 672 runs in the two formats respectively. He averages 37.33 in T20Is and has struck at an impressive 175.45. Suryakumar is also among the elite list of batters to have scored a century for India&nbsp;in T20Is.

The legendary Ricky Ponting has lavished praise on Team India's star batter Suryakumar Yadav hailing him for his ability to play shots 360 degrees around the ground.

The legendary Ricky Ponting has lavished praise on Team India's star batter Suryakumar Yadav hailing him for his ability to play shots 360 degrees around the ground. The former Australia skipper believes Surykumar should be India's number four at the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia this year. Suryakumar has been a prolific run-getter for India in limited-overs cricket ever since making his debut for the Men in Blue last year. He was selected in India's squad for the T20 World Cup 2021 last year owing to his consistency, however, the right-hand batter failed to live up to the expectations as India bowed out from the group stage. However, he has once again been consistent with the willow in the run-up to the T20 World Cup in Australia later this year and looks set to be part of India's squad for the showpiece event. Ponting believes Suryakumar should be part of India's playing XI if he is picked and that fans in Australia will enjoy his batting. "He's a very, very exciting player and I'm sure someone that's going to find himself in their team, not just their squad," Ponting said on the latest episode of The ICC Review. "I think you'd find him in their team for the T20 World Cup. And if he's in that team, then I think all the fans in Australia are going to see a very, very good player. He's quite a confident person. He backs himself and he's never going to step down from a challenge or any situation that arises in a game. I feel he thinks he can win that situation and therefore go on and win the game for his team," the former Australia captain added. Also Read: Saqlain told me about Sachin, I didn't know him: Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar Ponting went on to compare Suryakumar with South African great AB de Villiers, who was known for his wide range of shots. The former Australia captain believes Surykumar has a similar range as a batter and can play a variety of strokes to send the ball to all parts of the ground. "Surya (Yadav) scores 360 degrees around the ground, a bit like an AB de Villiers did when he was in his actual prime. The lap shots, the late cuts, you know, the ramps over the keeper's head. He can hit down the ground," Ponting said. "He hits really well over the leg side, flicks to deep backward square particularly well, and he's a good player of fast bowling and is a good player of spin bowling," he added. Also Read: 'Let him practice': BCCI president Ganguly reacts to Kohli's lean patch ahead of Asia Cup 2022 Suryakumar has so far played 13 ODIs and 23 T20Is for India, amassing 340 and 672 runs in the two formats respectively. He averages 37.33 in T20Is and has struck at an impressive 175.45. Suryakumar is also among the elite list of batters to have scored a century for India in T20Is.

'He scores 360 degrees around the ground': Ricky Ponting compares Team India star to AB de Villiers

The T20 World Cup is nearing its commencement. The eighth edition of the marquee tournament will be held in Australia for the first time, from October-Novamber and will be played in the same format as the 2021 edition.

Aaron Finch-led Australia will not only be the hosts but also start as the defending champions after the Men in Yellow won their maiden T20 WC trophy last year, beating New Zealand in a one-sided Trans-Tasman battle in Dubai.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wi-vs-ind-shikhar-dhawan-led-india-on-cusp-of-attaining-massive-feat-in-3rd-odi-in-trinidad-500893">WI vs IND: Shikhar Dhawan-led India on cusp of attaining MASSIVE feat in 3rd ODI in Trinidad</a>

Ahead of the showpiece event Down Under, former Aussie captain and two-time ODI World Cup-winning skipper Ricky Ponting made a bold claim. He feels Rohit Sharma-led India will enter the tournament final but lose to Australia in the summit clash. "I think India and Australia will be the two playing in the final and I will just have to say that Australia will beat them in the final. The reigning champions have got home conditions and that was one thing that made Australia's win in the last World Cup, not remarkable, but that little bit sweeter for them," Ponting said on ICC Review.

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fantastic-option-former-pakistan-cricketer-backs-young-indian-player-for-t20-wc-asia-cup-squads-500838">'Fantastic option': Former Pakistan cricketer backs young Indian player for T20 WC &amp; Asia Cup squads</a>

Ponting, the Delhi Capitals (DC) head coach, is quite optimistic of his team's chances after they did very well in the last edition, which was held in challenging conditions -- in&nbsp;the UAE -- for the Aussies. "The fact that a lot of people, me included, thought when they went to UAE, the conditions that they were going to have to face on the back of the IPL, I thought the conditions might have been the thing that might not have allowed them to win it. But they found a way," Ponting added.

Australia and India are placed in different groups in the Super 12 round. Will they meet each other in the finale? Only time will tell...
</section>

The T20 World Cup is nearing its commencement. The eighth edition of the marquee tournament will be held in Australia for the first time, from October-Novamber and will be played in the same format as the 2021 edition.

The T20 World Cup is nearing its commencement. The eighth edition of the marquee tournament will be held in Australia for the first time, from October-Novamber and will be played in the same format as the 2021 edition. Aaron Finch-led Australia will not only be the hosts but also start as the defending champions after the Men in Yellow won their maiden T20 WC trophy last year, beating New Zealand in a one-sided Trans-Tasman battle in Dubai. ALSO READ | WI vs IND: Shikhar Dhawan-led India on cusp of attaining MASSIVE feat in 3rd ODI in Trinidad Ahead of the showpiece event Down Under, former Aussie captain and two-time ODI World Cup-winning skipper Ricky Ponting made a bold claim. He feels Rohit Sharma-led India will enter the tournament final but lose to Australia in the summit clash. "I think India and Australia will be the two playing in the final and I will just have to say that Australia will beat them in the final. The reigning champions have got home conditions and that was one thing that made Australia's win in the last World Cup, not remarkable, but that little bit sweeter for them," Ponting said on ICC Review. ALSO READ | 'Fantastic option': Former Pakistan cricketer backs young Indian player for T20 WC & Asia Cup squads Ponting, the Delhi Capitals (DC) head coach, is quite optimistic of his team's chances after they did very well in the last edition, which was held in challenging conditions -- in the UAE -- for the Aussies. "The fact that a lot of people, me included, thought when they went to UAE, the conditions that they were going to have to face on the back of the IPL, I thought the conditions might have been the thing that might not have allowed them to win it. But they found a way," Ponting added. Australia and India are placed in different groups in the Super 12 round. Will they meet each other in the finale? Only time will tell...

India, Pakistan or England! Ricky Ponting names who Australia will meet in 2022 T20 World Cup final

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has urged the Indian selectors and team management to stick with Virat Kohli despite his ongoing lean patch for the Indian team. Kohli has been far from his best for quite a while now and has struggled to score runs consistently in all three formats of the game. His woeful run extended in India's recently-concluded tour of England.

Kohli managed to score only 75 runs in six innings for India across all three formats against England in what was a disastrous tour for the former India captain. His poor form has also raised questions over his spot in India's T20 team with many against the idea of his inclusion in the squad for T20 World Cup 2022 later this year.

However, Ponting believes Kohli needs to be backed by India at this crucial juncture in his career. The former Australia captain said he would be fearing an Indian team that has Kohli in it if he was an opposition player or a captain.&nbsp;

"I think if I was an opposition captain or an opposition player, I will be fearing playing an Indian team that has Virat Kohli in it, more than I would be one that doesn’t have him in it. I know there have been some challenges for him, it’s been a difficult time," Ponting said speaking to the ICC Review.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/one-of-the-greatest-ever-ben-stokes-responds-to-virat-kohlis-message-ahead-of-his-last-odi-for-england-498914">'One of the greatest ever': Stokes responds to Virat Kohli's message ahead of his last ODI for England</a>

The legendary Australian cricket also explained how almost every cricketer goes through a rough phase in their career and the good ones always find a way back. Ponting believes it's only a matter of time before Kohli can bounce back and get back among the runs for India.

"But every great player that I have seen in this game has been through it at some stage, whether that’s a batsman or a bowler, they have all been through it. And somehow, the best (players) find a way to rebound and respond, and it’s only a matter of time before Virat does that," said Ponting.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/selectors-want-struggling-virat-kohli-to-play-odi-series-against-zimbwbwe-to-regain-form-report-499156">Selectors want struggling Virat Kohli to play ODI series against Zimbabwe to regain form - Report</a>

Ponting also reckoned it will be tough for Kohli to make his comeback into the T20I team if he is dropped from the squad once and is not part of the T20 World Cup 2022 squad. The former Australia captain has urged the Indian team management to instead back the star batter and make life easy for him in the build-up to the showpiece event.

"If you leave Virat out of the eve of the World Cup, and someone comes in and has a reasonable tournament, it will be hard for Virat to get back in it," said Ponting.

"If I was India, I will keep pushing with him, because I know the upside. If they actually get him back confident and playing as well as he can, that upside is better than most. So I think if I was a captain or a coach around the Indian set up, I will be making life as easy as possible for him to feel as comfortable as possible, and just wait for him to flick the switch and start scoring runs again," he added.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has urged the Indian selectors and team management to stick with Virat Kohli despite his ongoing lean patch for the Indian team.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has urged the Indian selectors and team management to stick with Virat Kohli despite his ongoing lean patch for the Indian team. Kohli has been far from his best for quite a while now and has struggled to score runs consistently in all three formats of the game. His woeful run extended in India's recently-concluded tour of England. Kohli managed to score only 75 runs in six innings for India across all three formats against England in what was a disastrous tour for the former India captain. His poor form has also raised questions over his spot in India's T20 team with many against the idea of his inclusion in the squad for T20 World Cup 2022 later this year. However, Ponting believes Kohli needs to be backed by India at this crucial juncture in his career. The former Australia captain said he would be fearing an Indian team that has Kohli in it if he was an opposition player or a captain. "I think if I was an opposition captain or an opposition player, I will be fearing playing an Indian team that has Virat Kohli in it, more than I would be one that doesn’t have him in it. I know there have been some challenges for him, it’s been a difficult time," Ponting said speaking to the ICC Review. Also Read: 'One of the greatest ever': Stokes responds to Virat Kohli's message ahead of his last ODI for England The legendary Australian cricket also explained how almost every cricketer goes through a rough phase in their career and the good ones always find a way back. Ponting believes it's only a matter of time before Kohli can bounce back and get back among the runs for India. "But every great player that I have seen in this game has been through it at some stage, whether that’s a batsman or a bowler, they have all been through it. And somehow, the best (players) find a way to rebound and respond, and it’s only a matter of time before Virat does that," said Ponting. Also Read: Selectors want struggling Virat Kohli to play ODI series against Zimbabwe to regain form - Report Ponting also reckoned it will be tough for Kohli to make his comeback into the T20I team if he is dropped from the squad once and is not part of the T20 World Cup 2022 squad. The former Australia captain has urged the Indian team management to instead back the star batter and make life easy for him in the build-up to the showpiece event. "If you leave Virat out of the eve of the World Cup, and someone comes in and has a reasonable tournament, it will be hard for Virat to get back in it," said Ponting. "If I was India, I will keep pushing with him, because I know the upside. If they actually get him back confident and playing as well as he can, that upside is better than most. So I think if I was a captain or a coach around the Indian set up, I will be making life as easy as possible for him to feel as comfortable as possible, and just wait for him to flick the switch and start scoring runs again," he added.

I will be fearing an Indian team that has Virat Kohli in it: Ricky Ponting urges India to not drop star batter

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting paid a heartfelt tribute to his former teammate Andrew Symonds after his tragic demise on Saturday (May 14). Ex-Australia all-rounder Symonds breathed his last after sustaining grave injuries in a horrific car crash in Queensland, Australia.

As per Queensland Police, Symonds was driving when his car went off the road and rolled over leading to serious injuries to the former Australia all-rounder. Tributes have been pouring in from all corners as the cricket fraternity condoles the demise of Symonds.

One of the finest all-rounders to have played for Australia, Symonds was part of Australia's two World Cup-winning squads in 2003 and 2007. He was an integral member of the Australian team across formats under the captaincy of Ponting. The former captain took to Twitter to pay tribute to Symonds post his demise.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hoping-this-is-a-bad-dream-andrew-symonds-last-instagram-post-was-on-shane-warnes-demise-479102">'Hoping this is a bad dream': Andrew Symonds' last Instagram post was on Shane Warne's demise</a>

"If Roy shook your hand, you had his word, that's the sort of bloke he was and that's why I always wanted him on my team. An extraordinary player and even better human being. Can't believe he's gone. Thoughts are with his family at this time," Ponting wrote on Twitter.

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If Roy shook your hand you had his word, that’s the sort of bloke he was and that's why I always wanted him on my team. An extraordinary player and even better human being. Can’t believe he’s gone. Thoughts are with his family at this time. <a href="https://t.co/7r7FiK1CzK">pic.twitter.com/7r7FiK1CzK</a>
— Ricky Ponting AO (@RickyPonting) <a href="https://twitter.com/RickyPonting/status/1525726989264781312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/started-to-drink-heavily-when-andrew-symonds-opened-up-on-his-downhill-slide-after-monkeygate-scandal-479034">'Started to drink heavily': When Symonds opened up on his 'downhill slide' after Monkeygate scandal</a>

Symonds made his international debut for Australia in an ODI against Pakistan in November 1998. However, he went on to become a force to reckon with under Ponting's captaincy and played an instrumental role in Australia's dominance in world cricket under the former skipper.

An explosive hard-hitting batter and a clever bowler, Symonds was one of the true modern-day greats in white-ball cricket. He played 198 ODIs for Australia, amassing 5088 runs at an average of 39.75 and also picked up 133 wickets at an economy of 5.

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Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting paid a heartfelt tribute to his former teammate Andrew Symonds after his tragic demise on Saturday (May 14). Ex-Australia all-rounder Symonds breathed his last after sustaining grave injuries in a horrific car crash in Queensland, Australia.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting paid a heartfelt tribute to his former teammate Andrew Symonds after his tragic demise on Saturday (May 14). Ex-Australia all-rounder Symonds breathed his last after sustaining grave injuries in a horrific car crash in Queensland, Australia. As per Queensland Police, Symonds was driving when his car went off the road and rolled over leading to serious injuries to the former Australia all-rounder. Tributes have been pouring in from all corners as the cricket fraternity condoles the demise of Symonds. One of the finest all-rounders to have played for Australia, Symonds was part of Australia's two World Cup-winning squads in 2003 and 2007. He was an integral member of the Australian team across formats under the captaincy of Ponting. The former captain took to Twitter to pay tribute to Symonds post his demise. Also Read: 'Hoping this is a bad dream': Andrew Symonds' last Instagram post was on Shane Warne's demise "If Roy shook your hand, you had his word, that's the sort of bloke he was and that's why I always wanted him on my team. An extraordinary player and even better human being. Can't believe he's gone. Thoughts are with his family at this time," Ponting wrote on Twitter. If Roy shook your hand you had his word, that’s the sort of bloke he was and that's why I always wanted him on my team. An extraordinary player and even better human being. Can’t believe he’s gone. Thoughts are with his family at this time. pic.twitter.com/7r7FiK1CzK — Ricky Ponting AO (@RickyPonting) May 15, 2022 × Also Read: 'Started to drink heavily': When Symonds opened up on his 'downhill slide' after Monkeygate scandal Symonds made his international debut for Australia in an ODI against Pakistan in November 1998. However, he went on to become a force to reckon with under Ponting's captaincy and played an instrumental role in Australia's dominance in world cricket under the former skipper. An explosive hard-hitting batter and a clever bowler, Symonds was one of the true modern-day greats in white-ball cricket. He played 198 ODIs for Australia, amassing 5088 runs at an average of 39.75 and also picked up 133 wickets at an economy of 5.

Ricky Ponting pays heartfelt tribute to Andrew Symonds: 'If Roy shook your hand, you had his word'

Lalit Yadav became a part of the Delhi Capitals (DC) since IPL 2020. While last year, he featured in almost half of the games for the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi camp, the all-rounder has been a regular in the DC playing XI in IPL 2022.

The 25-year-old Lalit has also chipped in with handy contributions with both bat and ball. With the willow, he has had a few starts and was one of the main protagonists in DC's four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in their IPL 15 season-opener. At present, he averages at over 25 and has also scalped four wickets. Overall, he has an economy&nbsp;rate of&nbsp;7.90.

As the Delhi cricketer is learning the ropes in the star-studded DC franchise, Lalit interacted with WION's Aditya Sahay and dwelled on several aspects of his game, such as working closely with DC head coach Ricky Ponting, assistant coach Shane Watson, captain Rishabh Pant. In addition, he heaped praise on his inspiration Virender Sehwag and the famed trio -- Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.

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DC have trusted you a lot over the years. How has it been working with Ricky Ponting and being led by a youngster like Rishabh Pant?

The coach and captain trust me a lot. This helps in one's growth and there is no room for any self-doubt. So, the individual only thinks about his abilities and goes out to perform freely. When a youngster&nbsp;comes into a team, he, or she,&nbsp;always wants to make a mark and impress the captain coach. But if they back and&nbsp;trust your abilities, your work is done. You then&nbsp;tend to enjoy the process.&nbsp;

You've been a handy batter at the top or middle order and can also&nbsp;bowl a few vital overs when required. Where do you think Delhi relies on you the most? Talk about your role within the team...

It's not like Delhi depends or relies on me in one particular department. I want to contribute in any way possible and in every department. Be it batting, bowling, or fielding. The team management has trusted me in different situations and in varied roles. That is a big confidence booster in itself. I've bowled in powerplays or slog overs. If early wickets have fallen, I often get promoted or sometimes also play the role of a slogger. Overall, whenever and wherever the team needs me, I am there (smiles).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-behind-kuldeep-yadavs-comeback-virat-preferred-axar-patel-says-dc-spinners-childhood-coach-475722">Rohit behind Kuldeep Yadav's comeback, Virat preferred Axar Patel, says DC spinner's childhood coach</a>

You've been inspired by Virender Sehwag a lot. What is the one&nbsp;specific aspect&nbsp;that you want to learn after seeing his game?

It's not that I want to replicate something from Virender Sehwag. However, I'm a big fan of his. Hope I can also learn to hit the big shots so nonchalantly against the spinners and even pacers as he did.&nbsp;

From whatever you've&nbsp;seen and observed in MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, what is that one quality that you will pick&nbsp;from the trio and add to your game?

Virat Kohli's&nbsp;aggression and energy, MS Dhoni's match-finishing skills and calmness and Rohit Sharma's effortless stroke-making...He hits them with ease and at will. So, I'll want to take all these qualities and add to my game.&nbsp;

How has Shane Watson helped you in your batting? Do you talk with him about the different requirements of batting at different positions? Tell us about your interactions with the Aussie...

Shane Watson is a legend of the game. With him,&nbsp;he often shares incidents and stories from his playing days -- how he used to approach different situations and how his thought process was during his good and bad days. This is a sport. We all will have more bad days than good ones. So, all these things.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, he emphasises and talks about the mental aspect of the game.

Lalit Yadav became a part of the Delhi Capitals (DC) since IPL 2020. While last year, he featured in almost half of the games for the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi camp, the all-rounder has been a regular in the DC playing XI in IPL 2022.

Lalit Yadav became a part of the Delhi Capitals (DC) since IPL 2020. While last year, he featured in almost half of the games for the Rishabh Pant-led Delhi camp, the all-rounder has been a regular in the DC playing XI in IPL 2022. The 25-year-old Lalit has also chipped in with handy contributions with both bat and ball. With the willow, he has had a few starts and was one of the main protagonists in DC's four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in their IPL 15 season-opener. At present, he averages at over 25 and has also scalped four wickets. Overall, he has an economy rate of 7.90. As the Delhi cricketer is learning the ropes in the star-studded DC franchise, Lalit interacted with WION's Aditya Sahay and dwelled on several aspects of his game, such as working closely with DC head coach Ricky Ponting, assistant coach Shane Watson, captain Rishabh Pant. In addition, he heaped praise on his inspiration Virender Sehwag and the famed trio -- Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma. ALSO READ | From Umran Malik to Ayush Badoni: Young Indian stars who have taken IPL 2022 by storm DC have trusted you a lot over the years. How has it been working with Ricky Ponting and being led by a youngster like Rishabh Pant? The coach and captain trust me a lot. This helps in one's growth and there is no room for any self-doubt. So, the individual only thinks about his abilities and goes out to perform freely. When a youngster comes into a team, he, or she, always wants to make a mark and impress the captain coach. But if they back and trust your abilities, your work is done. You then tend to enjoy the process. You've been a handy batter at the top or middle order and can also bowl a few vital overs when required. Where do you think Delhi relies on you the most? Talk about your role within the team... It's not like Delhi depends or relies on me in one particular department. I want to contribute in any way possible and in every department. Be it batting, bowling, or fielding. The team management has trusted me in different situations and in varied roles. That is a big confidence booster in itself. I've bowled in powerplays or slog overs. If early wickets have fallen, I often get promoted or sometimes also play the role of a slogger. Overall, whenever and wherever the team needs me, I am there (smiles). ALSO READ | Rohit behind Kuldeep Yadav's comeback, Virat preferred Axar Patel, says DC spinner's childhood coach You've been inspired by Virender Sehwag a lot. What is the one specific aspect that you want to learn after seeing his game? It's not that I want to replicate something from Virender Sehwag. However, I'm a big fan of his. Hope I can also learn to hit the big shots so nonchalantly against the spinners and even pacers as he did. From whatever you've seen and observed in MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, what is that one quality that you will pick from the trio and add to your game? Virat Kohli's aggression and energy, MS Dhoni's match-finishing skills and calmness and Rohit Sharma's effortless stroke-making...He hits them with ease and at will. So, I'll want to take all these qualities and add to my game. How has Shane Watson helped you in your batting? Do you talk with him about the different requirements of batting at different positions? Tell us about your interactions with the Aussie... Shane Watson is a legend of the game. With him, he often shares incidents and stories from his playing days -- how he used to approach different situations and how his thought process was during his good and bad days. This is a sport. We all will have more bad days than good ones. So, all these things. Also, he emphasises and talks about the mental aspect of the game.

EXCLUSIVE | Want to pick Kohli's aggression, Dhoni's finishing skills and Rohit's stroke-making: Lalit Yadav

Delhi Capitals (DC) suffered a dramatic 15-run defeat in their last game against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The contest was marred with a huge controversy after a no-ball decision went in RR's favour during the final over of DC's 223-run chase at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

With 36 required off the last over, West Indies all-rounder Rovman Powell kept Delhi Capitals in the hunt with three back-to-back sixes off the first three deliveries. The third ball was bowled above the waist height by RR pacer Obed McCoy but was deemed a legal delivery by the on-field umpire, leaving many infuriated in the DC dugout.

DC skipper Pant was spotted signalling his batters to walk off from the field in protest before he sent an assistant coach on the field to talk to the umpires. The drama ended with DC losing the game by 15 runs as they failed to chase down the target of 223 runs. Pant and Amre were criticised by many for their actions during the dying moments of the game.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-harshal-patel-refuses-to-shake-hands-with-riyan-parag-after-heated-exchange-in-ipl-2022-474276">WATCH - Harshal Patel refuses to shake hands with Riyan Parag after heated exchange in IPL 2022</a>

DC head coach Ricky Ponting was not a part of the dugout on that&nbsp;particular day as he was in quarantine after one of his family members had tested positive for COVID-19. However, Ponting was following the game closely from the hotel and recalled how he smashed a few TV remotes and water bottles in frustration during the intense clash.

"It was frustrating. I think I broke three or four remote controls and a few bottles of water might have got thrown into the walls and things like that (laughs). When you’re on the sidelines, being a coach and you can’t control what’s happening out in the middle, that’s hard enough, but when you’re not actually at the ground, it can get a little more frustrating. I am sending text messages every over, do this do that, things like that," said Ponting as he came out of quarantine ahead of his side's clash against KKR on Thursday.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/r-ashwin-achieves-elite-feat-in-rr-rcb-tie-becomes-second-off-spinner-to-attain-150-ipl-scalps-474245">R Ashwin achieves elite feat in RR-RCB tie, becomes second off-spinner to attain 150 IPL scalps</a>

Delhi Capitals have so far managed only three wins in their first seven matches this season as Pant &amp; Co. have struggled to dominate with both the bat and the ball. Injury to key players and a COVID-19 outbreak in the squad has also not helped their cause as they seek to spark a turnaround with a win against KKR.

Ponting is confident of his team's chances in the ongoing season as he&nbsp;backed his players to get results in the upcoming matches and move up the points table. Ponting believes DC are too good a team to be not able to turn around their fortunes this season.

"I know we’re so close to turning it all around. We’ve all got to trust, we’ve got to believe, we’ve got to stay upbeat and positive. And if we are, things will definitely change for us. The harder we try from here, the harder it’s going to get. We’re just going to stay nice and relax and keep repeating things we’ve been doing. And then results will definitely come our way. We are too good a team for the results not to change," said Ponting.

&nbsp;

Delhi Capitals (DC) suffered a dramatic 15-run defeat in their last game against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The contest was marred with a huge controversy after a no-ball decision went in RR's favour during the final over of DC's 223-run chase at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Delhi Capitals (DC) suffered a dramatic 15-run defeat in their last game against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The contest was marred with a huge controversy after a no-ball decision went in RR's favour during the final over of DC's 223-run chase at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. With 36 required off the last over, West Indies all-rounder Rovman Powell kept Delhi Capitals in the hunt with three back-to-back sixes off the first three deliveries. The third ball was bowled above the waist height by RR pacer Obed McCoy but was deemed a legal delivery by the on-field umpire, leaving many infuriated in the DC dugout. DC skipper Pant was spotted signalling his batters to walk off from the field in protest before he sent an assistant coach on the field to talk to the umpires. The drama ended with DC losing the game by 15 runs as they failed to chase down the target of 223 runs. Pant and Amre were criticised by many for their actions during the dying moments of the game. Also Read: WATCH - Harshal Patel refuses to shake hands with Riyan Parag after heated exchange in IPL 2022 DC head coach Ricky Ponting was not a part of the dugout on that particular day as he was in quarantine after one of his family members had tested positive for COVID-19. However, Ponting was following the game closely from the hotel and recalled how he smashed a few TV remotes and water bottles in frustration during the intense clash. "It was frustrating. I think I broke three or four remote controls and a few bottles of water might have got thrown into the walls and things like that (laughs). When you’re on the sidelines, being a coach and you can’t control what’s happening out in the middle, that’s hard enough, but when you’re not actually at the ground, it can get a little more frustrating. I am sending text messages every over, do this do that, things like that," said Ponting as he came out of quarantine ahead of his side's clash against KKR on Thursday. Also Read: R Ashwin achieves elite feat in RR-RCB tie, becomes second off-spinner to attain 150 IPL scalps Delhi Capitals have so far managed only three wins in their first seven matches this season as Pant & Co. have struggled to dominate with both the bat and the ball. Injury to key players and a COVID-19 outbreak in the squad has also not helped their cause as they seek to spark a turnaround with a win against KKR. Ponting is confident of his team's chances in the ongoing season as he backed his players to get results in the upcoming matches and move up the points table. Ponting believes DC are too good a team to be not able to turn around their fortunes this season. "I know we’re so close to turning it all around. We’ve all got to trust, we’ve got to believe, we’ve got to stay upbeat and positive. And if we are, things will definitely change for us. The harder we try from here, the harder it’s going to get. We’re just going to stay nice and relax and keep repeating things we’ve been doing. And then results will definitely come our way. We are too good a team for the results not to change," said Ponting.

'Broke 3-4 TV remotes, threw water bottles': Ricky Ponting recalls watching DC's dramatic clash against RR

A family member of Delhi Capitals Head Coach Ricky Ponting has tested positive for COVID. The family has now been moved into an isolation facility and is being well taken care of.

Ponting himself has tested negative twice subsequently. However, in the best interest of the team, the management and medical team has decided that he will remain in isolation for five days, as he was a close contact. He will, therefore, not be present at the ground for tonight’s game against Rajasthan Royals. The franchise requests for Ponting and his family's privacy to be respected in the current scenario. &nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/dc-vs-rr-ipl-2022-today-match-prediction-who-will-win-delhi-capitals-vs-rajasthan-royals-clash-472869">DC vs RR, IPL 2022 today match prediction: Who will win Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals clash?</a>

The condition of all individuals in the bubble who have tested positive so far is being closely monitored. The team looks forward to everyone's speedy recovery.

(STATEMENT FROM DELHI CAPITALS)

A family member of Delhi Capitals Head Coach Ricky Ponting has tested positive for COVID. The family has now been moved into an isolation facility and is being well taken care of.

A family member of Delhi Capitals Head Coach Ricky Ponting has tested positive for COVID. The family has now been moved into an isolation facility and is being well taken care of. Ponting himself has tested negative twice subsequently. However, in the best interest of the team, the management and medical team has decided that he will remain in isolation for five days, as he was a close contact. He will, therefore, not be present at the ground for tonight’s game against Rajasthan Royals. The franchise requests for Ponting and his family's privacy to be respected in the current scenario. ALSO READ | DC vs RR, IPL 2022 today match prediction: Who will win Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals clash? The condition of all individuals in the bubble who have tested positive so far is being closely monitored. The team looks forward to everyone's speedy recovery. (STATEMENT FROM DELHI CAPITALS)

IPL 2022: DC head coach Ricky Ponting in isolation after his family member tests Covid positive

Delhi Capitals came into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 game against Punjab Kings with a number of major concerns. The DC cricketers were kept in quarantine following six COVID-19 positive cases in the side which included two overseas players.

However, they were able to brave the circumstances to defeat Punjab Kings thanks to brilliant performance from David Warner and the bowlers.

In the post-match press conference, all-rounder Axar Patel pointed out the speech from head coach Ricky Ponting as the inspiration for the whole team ahead of the encounter.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pace-is-not-that-important-kapil-dev-has-his-say-on-sunrisers-hyderabad-fast-bowler-umran-malik-472649" hreflang="en">'Pace is not that important': Kapil Dev has his say on SRH pacer Umran Malik</a>

"We were quarantined and we started practice two-three days after that, he (Ponting) told us we have two options. We have to play the match. You can think that there are positive cases, and the preparations aren't done. Or you can think all outside things are not in our hands and you should show commitment with regard to the effort and preparation," Axar told the reporters.

"We were focusing on our game (and) we did our planning (accordingly). So that's it, that was the speech and that was our mindset," he added.

The all-rounder was also all praise for his spin partner Kuldeep Yadav who won the Man of the Match award for taking two crucial wickets as Punjab Kings were bundled out for just 115.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-david-warner-becomes-second-player-after-rohit-sharma-to-achieve-elusive-milestone-472618" hreflang="en">IPL 2022: Warner becomes 2nd player after Rohit to achieve elusive milestone</a>

"Like you said, the atmosphere is very important. I had earlier said when he (Kuldeep) came, he needed confidence. After you don't play well for a season or two, you are less confident, so Rishabh (Pant), I and the coaching staff – Ricky (Ponting) gave him the confidence, which was crucial,"

"We gave him confidence in the practice match and he was told that he would play all the matches and doesn't need to take tension about his performance,” Axar concluded.

Delhi Capitals came into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 game against Punjab Kings with a number of major concerns. The DC cricketers were kept in quarantine following six COVID-19 positive cases in the side which included two overseas players.

Delhi Capitals came into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 game against Punjab Kings with a number of major concerns. The DC cricketers were kept in quarantine following six COVID-19 positive cases in the side which included two overseas players. However, they were able to brave the circumstances to defeat Punjab Kings thanks to brilliant performance from David Warner and the bowlers. In the post-match press conference, all-rounder Axar Patel pointed out the speech from head coach Ricky Ponting as the inspiration for the whole team ahead of the encounter. Also read | 'Pace is not that important': Kapil Dev has his say on SRH pacer Umran Malik "We were quarantined and we started practice two-three days after that, he (Ponting) told us we have two options. We have to play the match. You can think that there are positive cases, and the preparations aren't done. Or you can think all outside things are not in our hands and you should show commitment with regard to the effort and preparation," Axar told the reporters. "We were focusing on our game (and) we did our planning (accordingly). So that's it, that was the speech and that was our mindset," he added. The all-rounder was also all praise for his spin partner Kuldeep Yadav who won the Man of the Match award for taking two crucial wickets as Punjab Kings were bundled out for just 115. Also read | IPL 2022: Warner becomes 2nd player after Rohit to achieve elusive milestone "Like you said, the atmosphere is very important. I had earlier said when he (Kuldeep) came, he needed confidence. After you don't play well for a season or two, you are less confident, so Rishabh (Pant), I and the coaching staff – Ricky (Ponting) gave him the confidence, which was crucial," "We gave him confidence in the practice match and he was told that he would play all the matches and doesn't need to take tension about his performance,” Axar concluded.

IPL 2022: 'We have two options' - Axar Patel reveals how Ricky Ponting inspired Covid-hit Delhi Capitals

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