Ricky Ponting was in quarantine during DC's match against RR last week.
Chasing 223 to win, DC needed 36 runs off the last over and Rovman Powell smoked Obed McCoy’s first three deliveries for sixes to give his side a real chance of victory. However, a controversy erupted on the third delivery as the Delhi players and support staff members felt it was a waist high no-ball and protested for it.
DC skipper Rishabh Pant gestured his batters back to leave the pitch and also sent assistant coach Pravin Amre to have a word with the on-field umpires.
After the game, Pant, Amre and Shardul Thakur, who had also expressed dissent, were fined for breaching IPL’s Code of Conduct.
“It was all wrong, everything about it was wrong. The umpire was wrong but you have got to get on with it. For our players to demonstrate what they did and to have our assistant coach run onto the field, it's not anything we are happy with or proud of. I have spoken to the guys about that,” Ponting was quoted as saying to Star Sports.
“But KP (Kevin Pietersen), we have had a pretty tough time at DC over the last few weeks. We have had Covid cases, we have been locked in the hotel room and, I think, just all the frustration that built up. It was a close game and it all just came out there in that moment."
“That was a lion in the sand moment for us, it was the halfway time of the tournament. We said we would leave all that behind and move to the 2nd half of the tournament with a better attitude,” he added.
The no-ball controversy had brought the game to halt for about 15 minutes and when it resumed, McCoy bowled brilliantly, conceding just two runs along with the wicket of Powell to seal the match for RR by 15 runs.
Ponting was not part of the team in their clash against Rajasthan Royals as he was isolated from the rest of the squad after a family member staying with him in the hotel tested positive for Covid-19.
The DC head coach rejoined the squad ahead of Thursday’s (April 28) clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Rishabh Pant-led side got back to winning ways with a convincing four-wicket victory at the Wankhede Stadium.