Delhi Capitals (DC) coach Ricky Ponting said that players who have been retained by the franchise, like captain Rishabh Pant, Akshar Patel, Prithvi Shaw, and Anrich Nortje will need to keep their rooms open and welcome new guys to make them feel comfortable ahead of the IPL 2022.

Ricky Ponting stressed that the players who have been retained by the franchise now have a responsibility to guide the youngsters in the team and he said that he is trying his best to get to know the rest of the squad ahead of the league which begins on March 26.

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"I have told the boys to keep their doors open when they are in their rooms and get to know each other. I am going to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner with all the younger guys that I don't know. When you show love towards the younger guys as a coach or a senior player, you know that they are going to give it back,” Ponting said in a video posted on DC Twitter.

"The guys who have been in the Delhi Capitals camp for a while definitely have the responsibility of guiding the youngsters in the team. Rishabh's captain, so he's going to do that anyway, but guys like Prithvi, Axar, and Nortje will also have their roles and responsibilities within the team," he added.

Ponting was impressed with the energetic vibe around the group of players when he attended his first training session with the team.

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"At the moment, we need to really focus on what we need to do to get ready for game one. I had a great first session with the players. There's an energetic vibe around the team, which is what we always strive for," Ponting said.

DC will face off against MI in their tournament opener on March 27 in the first of the double-header.

(PTI inputs)