Ricky Ponting, head coach of the Delhi Capitals (DC), rejected fitness worries regarding skipper Rishabh Pant during their IPL 2024 game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Wednesday, April 3.
Though Pant neeÂded the physio’s help, Ricky Ponting stateÂd it was just fatigue. The keeÂper-batter did not limp after treÂatment.
KKR defeateÂd DC by a huge 106 runs in Match 16. Kolkata scored an enormous 272-7 afteÂr batting first. Delhi’s innings ended at a meÂager 166. Despite DC’s poor showing, captain Pant manageÂd his second fifty in two matches.
During the WeÂdnesday match, Pant sought help from the teÂam’s physiotherapist. However, Ponting addreÂssed concerns about Pant’s well-beÂing at a post-game press confereÂnce. He reassureÂd everyone reÂgarding Pant’s fitness.
“I saw he called a physio out. It might have just been a bit of tiredness. Looked like he was moving pretty well when he batted. I think we should just concentrate on the way he batted tonight.
“I didn’t see him hobbling at all after he called the physio out. I saw him doing a little bit of stretching, so there might be a little bit of cramp.”
Ricky Ponting
Ponting wanted to focus on Pant’s batting in the past two games, characterizing it as a significant improvement.
“Pleased for him, what he did with the bat. A situation like that, where he had to go out and attack from the start is probably a scenario that he needed just to get some confidence back.
“He’s actually had two good games with the bat now, which is great.”
Ricky Ponting
Pant scored 51 off 32 in a 20-run victory over the Chennai Super Kings and added 55 off 25 against KKR on Wednesday.
“Obviously, Rishabh hadn’t heard them” – Ricky Ponting on Pant’s DRS blunders
While Rishabh Pant was great with the bat, his on-field performance was underwhelming.
He made two incorrect DRS calls, saving Sunil Narine and Shreyas Iyer. Pant’s appeal was denied in the first case because he signaled too late, and in the second, he did not pursue the review at all.
“Narine was missed, and then Iyer was missed later on. I am not sure what happened there.
“Obviously, Rishabh hadn’t heard them. Other fielders and bowlers on the ground actually heard something on both occasions.”
Ricky Ponting
The DC coach, on the other hand, dismissed the blunders as minor, pointing out that they had more pressing concerns to address.
“At the end of the day, they are little things. There are other bigger concerns for us with the way that we bowled, some of the field placings we had set and just how long it’s taking us to get around.
“We’ve been two overs down two games in a row.”
Ricky Ponting
DC has had a dismal start to the IPL 2024 season, sitting in ninth place with one win from four games.