New Delhi [India], September 20 (ANI): In a significant move for the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Punjab Kings have appointed Ricky Ponting as their new head coach. This announcement marks a new chapter for both the team and Ponting, who will take charge starting from the 2025 IPL season.

Ponting, the former Australian cricket captain, revealed that he had been in discussions with several other franchises. However, it was the unique challenges and potential of “Project Punjab” that ultimately drew him in. “Yes, I was talking to a few teams, but it was ‘Project Punjab,’ which attracted me. It is a team that hasn’t had a lot of success over a long period of time, a team that’s changed coaches a lot, so I saw it as a challenge,” Ponting stated, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Ponting’s attraction to the Punjab Kings was also fueled by the promising young talent he observed in the previous season. “The other exciting part is that I saw some really exciting youngsters last year at Kings’ that hopefully we can attract back to the team for this season and put together a team that is going to be good enough to win the IPL,” he added.

Historically, the Punjab Kings have had talented players and strong teams, yet they have struggled to clinch the IPL title. The franchise has not made it to the playoffs since 2014, when they finished as runners-up. Ponting’s appointment makes him the third head coach for the Punjab Kings in just four seasons, reflecting the instability that has plagued the team.

Ponting brings a wealth of experience to his new role. After retiring from playing in the IPL, he became head coach of the Delhi Capitals in 2018. During his tenure, he guided the team to three consecutive playoff appearances from 2019 to 2021 and led them to their first-ever final in 2020. His successful stint with Delhi Capitals ended in July 2024.

Following his time with the Delhi Capitals, Ponting moved to Major League Cricket (MLC) where he led the Washington Freedom to a title-winning campaign. Despite his achievements, Ponting admitted feeling disappointed about his departure from the Delhi Capitals after seven years with the franchise. “Yeah, I’m very happy to be back in the IPL. It’s been such a big part of my life. It’s been ten or eleven years now that I have been going to the IPL. The thing that keeps drawing me back is the level of cricket and the quality of players you get to work with,” Ponting remarked.

He continued, “Obviously, I was disappointed to finish with DC after seven years there, but I understand all the reasoning behind that. But now this opportunity’s come up with Kings. I see this as a real coaching challenge. It’s almost like a coaching project for me, and having spoken to the management and the owners, they understand the path I want to head on. And we are aligned really well so far.”

With Ponting at the helm, the Punjab Kings are hopeful for a resurgence and aim to break their long-standing title drought in upcoming IPL seasons.