Ricky Ponting has had a good start to IPL 2025 as Punjab Kings head coach. The side won their first two games in a dominant fashion before losing the third game of the season against Rajasthan Royals.
Hosting the Rajasthan Royals at their home ground in Mullanpur, PBKS lost by 50 runs as they were unable to chase the 206 runs required to win. Jofra Archer's fiery opening burst ensured that Punjab fell well short of the target.
Currently placed fourth on the table, PBKS faces Chennai Super Kings in their next match on April 8 in Mullanpur on Tuesday. With CSK going through a lean patch, the Kings would like to add to their misery by notching up a win in their next match.
You Can't Write Off Quality Players - Ricky Ponting On Kohli, Rohit
Meanwhile, Ricky Ponting, in an exclusive conversation with the Indian Express, spoke about his interaction with Rahul Dravid and also shared his thoughts on how long the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will continue to play international cricket.
Rahul Dravid ended his coaching stint with the Indian team with a T20 World Cup win in 2024. Rohit and Kohli, after having their share of failures in the Australia Test series, bounced back strongly as India won their third Champions Trophy title.
Ponting first spoke on Rohit and Kohli, saying that you cannot write off the two veterans of Indian cricket. He further went on to say that Virat Kohli is the best white-ball player he has seen.
‘You can’t write off quality players. They’re champions for a reason and always find a way to come good. At different times in the last couple of years, Virat has been able to do that when he is getting in a hole. He is a high-quality player and, maybe Rohit is a bit the same. Test cricket is the thing that is becoming harder for them right now. Rohit has made it clear he’s going nowhere in the 50-over game. Virat is the best white-ball player I have ever seen. I will never write those guys off" Ponting told The Indian Express during Idea Exchange.
Ricky Ponting Recalls Conversation With Rahul Dravid
Ponting further recollected the pep talk he had with Rahul Dravid after Dravid did not have a good tour to Australia in 2011. Before that, Dravid had played key roles for the Indian team in the 2003 and 2007-08 Australia tours.
“We could all see he was battling, and there was a lot of media talk, and it was all wearing him down. Rahul and I have always got along really well. We were fierce competitors, both No.3 batters for our countries for a long time. For players like that, the class and quality doesn’t leave. It sometimes gets buried under a lot of other stuff, and certain people can’t find their way out of those holes. I just had a chat with him and said, ‘Look, forget about all the external stuff, believe in yourself, and go back to the things that have made you a good player. If you focus on that and not worry about the little things, I am sure you can finish off your career on a strong note.’ That’s all I said" Ponting concluded saying.
It was Rahul Dravid who won the first round of IPL 2025 in Mullanpur. Ponting will be waiting for his chance when the two sides meet again on May 16 in match 67.
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