Ricky Ponting joins Punjab Kings as head coach ahead of IPL 2025, replaces Trevor Bayliss

New Delhi: A couple of months after being sacked by Delhi Capitals, Ricky Ponting has been roped in by Punjab Kings as the head coach for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League, the franchise announced on Wednesday. The Australian signed a four-year deal with Punjab Kings and replaced Trevor Bayliss. It is understood that a decision on the support staff will be taken by Ponting himself. Punjab Kings have Sanjay Bangar (head of cricket development), Charl Langeveldt (fast-bowling coach) and Sunil Joshi (spin-bowling coach) in the support staff besides Ponting.

Notably, Ponting will be the sixth head coach at Punjab Kings in the last seven seasons. Since the inception of IPL in 2008, Punjab Kings’ best show came in 2014 when they reached the final. Last season, Punjab Kings had finished ninth. For Ponting, the first challenge will be to assemble a balanced team and make the right selection as far as retained players are concerned.

“I am grateful to Punjab Kings for presenting me with the opportunity to be the new head coach. I am excited to take up the new challenge. I had great conversations with the owners and the management about the way forward and was truly elated to see the alignment of our visions for the team. We all want to repay the fans who have stayed with the franchise over the years and we promise that they will see a much different Punjab Kings going forward,” Ponting said.

TER is JAB!

Official Statement
Ricky Ponting joins Punjab Kings as the new Head Coach! #RickyPonting #SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings pic.twitter.com/DS9iAHDAu7

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) September 18, 2024

With Shikhar Dhawan announcing his retirement last month, Punjab Kings would need a captain first and foremost. Meanwhile, Ponting has been associated with IPL since 2008. He started as a player for Kolkata Knight Riders before joining Mumbai Indians as captain in 2013. However, he stepped down from the role midway in the same season.

He continued in an advisory role in 2014 at Mumbai Indians before serving as the head coach in the next two seasons at the franchise. He took charge of Delhi Capitals in 2018. Under his coaching, Ponting reached the playoffs for three seasons from 2019 to 2022 with a final appearance in 2020.

In the 2024 MLC season, the Ponting guided Washington Freedom to the title. He has also been the head of strategy for the Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL since 2021.