New Delhi: With his team placed comfortably in second spot in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting believes that keeping the faith in his players has helped the team in finding the form at this crucial juncture of the competition.
The 44-year-old Australian said: “There have been questions asked about where we should have dropped certain players in some matches, but I believe that when you have talented players in your squad, you just keep backing them. You know that we have players who can turn it around quite quickly as it takes just one innings or match to get going in a tournament like this.
“In the first phase of the tournament, players like Rishabh (Pant) might have had certain thoughts around his mind about the World Cup selection, but to be honest, that 78 in the first match against Mumbai was what got us the win.
“I’m glad he found the form again against Rajasthan, and what you want from players like him in such a tournament is that they win you three or four matches each throughout the season, and he has certainly won two games for us so far, and if he remains in form, he can get a couple of more wins.”
Delhi Capitals sit second on the points table with a tally of 14 points from their 11 matches, which include seven wins and four losses. But Ponting believes that his team is in good form and is peaking at the right time.
He said: “We have won the last four out of our five matches, and with three more matches to go, I feel we are going in the right direction. I am happy that the team is peaking at the right time, with better communication among the group.”
Meanwhile, after beating Kolkata Knight Riders in their own backyard, Rajasthan Royals will return home to keep their chances afloat of making it to the play-offs when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Saturday.
Royals are currently placed at the seventh spot with eight points from 11 games and would be looking to take confidence from their three-wicket win at the Eden Gardens in their last encounter.
They will be without the likes of Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer who have flown back to England to join the national side for the World Cup camp.
Sunrisers, fourth with five wins from 10 games, will dearly miss Jonny Bairstow who has done the bulk of their scoring alongside David Warner. It is expected that New Zealand’s Martin Guptill will be included in the playing XI. They would also be hoping for the return of their regular skipper Kane Williamson, who was missed in their last game on account of both his batting and captaincy.
Catch the Match
Rajasthan Royals v Sunrisers Hyderabad
Sawai Mansingh Stadium
6.30pm
Match broadcast on BeIN Sports
