Delhi Capitals (DC) are enduring a tough time in the ongoing IPL, having lost four out of their seven matches. They are currently occupying the seventh spot in the 10-team standings.
Moreover, the Rishabh Pant-led side has also been rocked by COVID-19. Head coach Ricky Ponting was not part of the team in their last clash against Rajasthan Royals as he was isolated from rest of the squad after a family member staying with him in the hotel tested positive for the virus.
Ponting has now joined the squad after serving the five-day isolation and he shared his experience of watching the team’s previous match from quarantine.
“It was frustrating. I think I broke three or four remote controls and a few bottles of water might have got thrown into the walls and things like that (laughs). When you’re on the side-lines, being a coach and you can’t control what’s happening out in the middle, that’s hard enough, but when you’re not actually at the ground, it can get a little more frustrating,” Ponting said in a DC press release.
Delhi Capitals had suffered a 15-run defeat in their last encounter against Rajasthan Royals. It was a high-scoring affair and RR was in the chase till the last over.
The head coach also weighed in on DC’s performance in the first half of the season.
“I’ve said it a few times this year where there’s 36 or 37 overs of really good stuff, and we just let it slip for two or three overs. And, that’s the difference in these games. We sort of gear ourselves to not overtrain in the first part of the season, try and build up along the way. But our performances have been win one, lose one, win one. So, we need to start getting that little bit of momentum,” he added.
Talking about the upcoming second half of the season, Ponting said, “I know we’re so close to turning it all around. We’ve all got to trust, we’ve got to believe, we’ve got to stay upbeat and positive. And if we are, things will definitely change for us.”
Delhi Capitals will face Kolkata Knight Riders in their next clash at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on April 28.
