No word from BCCI on managing IPL workload: Ricky Ponting

Mumbai: Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting on Saturday said the franchise hasnt received any official statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the management of workload of Indias World Cup-bound players.

With nearly three weeks’ gap between the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019 final and the beginning of the World Cup, starting May 30 in England and Wales, a lot has been talked about managing the players’ workload in the recent times.

Talking to mediapersons on the eve of Delhi’s campaign opener against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, here on Sunday, Ponting said: “We have had no direct information on them at all. If we look through our squad, I mean if you talk about workload management stuff, you think that the batsmen will be right to play all the games.”

“I am not sure what the directive from the BCCI is going to be on that, but it will be the fast bowlers they will be trying to look after,” he said.

Ponting admitted the team management will have to properly look after pacer Ishant Sharma who is likely to be a part of India’s World Cup squad.

“Ishant has sort of forced himself into that squad. We’re just going to make sure that we look after him on the way through. Hopefully, some common sense comes into it and someone like Ishant is available for selection for every game,” the former Australia skipper said.

On the availability of foreign players in Delhi’s squad, keeping the World Cup in mind, the 44-year-old said: “We do, actually. Obviously Chris Morris is not here. He’s got another T20 (Twenty20) game to play for South Africa in a couple of days’ time. He’ll probably arrive on the 25th for us.”

“As far as the leave dates are concerned, all the New Zealanders are here until the end. We’ve got the New Zealanders, West Indians and South Africans predominantly as our overseas players,” he said.

Delhi has never made it to the IPL finals since the inception of the league in 2008.

Ponting said he isn’t thinking much about the past. “What has happened in the past has happened. The whole vibe around the franchise for the last two weeks has been positive. We have (been) reborn, we have new owners. We have got new colours, new logo, and everything about the start of the new season has been fresh, new start for Delhi Capitals,” the coach said.

Speaking on their preparations for this year, Ponting said: “Our preparations for the last two weeks has been strong. (The) boys worked particularly hard before we travelled here, and any who were here and who watched us train yesterday would understand how hard we trained. We made things little light today. Boys are fit, energetic and ready to go for tomorrow.”

Published on: Mar 23, 2019 at 20:42 IST

IANS