Former Australia skipper and Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting gave his take on the IPL performance of some key Australian players with an eye on the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The IPL featured a number of regulars from the Australian Men’s T20 World Cup squad.
While the likes of Travis Head set the tournament on fire with his explosive batting, others like David Warner and Mitchell Marsh had an indifferent run for the majority of the tournament, while Mitchell Starc struggled for consistency early on before producing back-to-back Player of the Match performances in his last two appearances in Kolkata Knight Riders” title-winning run.
Ponting was dismayed by the fact that Warner lost his form after a good start.
“He actually started the tournament really well. His scoring rate was really good,” Ponting added. “At the start of the tournament, he was opening the batting for us with Mitchell Marsh, and that combination was working really well.”
However, the partnership broke after Marsh had to return home due to an injury, and Warner lost his touch, while also incurring a subsequent injury to his hand.
“He (Warner) didn”t really hit scores, and then he got a nasty hit on his hand. Basically, had the worst bone bruising and his contusion on the back of his hand that he”s ever seen.”
But Ponting didn’t have many concerns regarding the 37-year-old veteran.
“He”s a feisty little competitor that once the World Cup comes around, he hits the Australian colours back on again.
“Then I”ve got no real concerns about him.
In contrast to Warner, his Men’s Cricket World Cup opening partner Travis Head was at his belligerent best for Sunrisers Hyderabad, scoring over 500 runs at a strike rate closer to 200.
Some of his knocks (such as 89* off 30 versus Lucknow Super Giants in the group stage of the IPL) saw his clean-striking ability at its destructive best. Ponting attributed this to a free head space.
“He”s not worried about the negative of getting out. (In T20 Cricket) You”ve got to go out there and try in the first ball for six. If it comes off, it comes off. You”re away, your team”s away,” Ponting noted.
Ponting added that the player changed his approach to the game over the last couple of years, and the result was for everyone to see.
“(Earlier) he was worried about what someone might have said or what the media wrote if he got out playing a certain shot, rather than just going out and backing himself and scoring runs. So for me, that”s been the real change in him.”
