IPL 2023: Delhi head coach Ricky Ponting's future hangs in the balance after Capitals' poor show so far

Delhi Capitals are having a terrible run at the Indian Premier League for the second year in a row, raising questions about the capabilities of the franchise’s coaching staff.

DC have already lost five games on the trot in the ongoing IPL and if they lose to Punjab Kings on Thursday, they will be the first team to be out of play-off contention with half a dozen defeats.

The team’s coaching staff is a star-studded one, led by Sourav Ganguly as Director of Cricket, Ricky Ponting as head coach, assistant coaches in James Hopes, Shane Watson, Ajit Agarkar, Pravin Amre and Biju George.

But with the continuous losses, the Delhi-based franchise is likely to have a much leaner coaching staff next season with head coach Ricky Ponting’s future set to be examined at the end of IPL 2023.

"Obviously, nothing will happen mid-season but the poor results for two successive seasons will have its share of repercussions when JSW and GMR, the two co-owners sit back and take stock of the season," an IPL source tracking the franchise told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

"So you will certainly not have this jumbo coaching staff next season for sure. There will be a few heads that might roll," the source added.

Australian great Ricky Ponting joined the franchise as head coach in 2018, the year Delhi finished last on the points table. But for the next three years, DC fielded a formidable squad and regularly qualified for the playoffs till 2021.

However, it was the mega-auction of 2022 that saw DC lose most of its star power and have struggled to become the force they were in the preceding years.

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