New Delhi, Sept 18: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting will join the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS) as their head coach ahead of the mega auction for the 2025 season of the tournament.

"He is coming on board. We are waiting for further details. Official statement will be released soon," a source in the franchise told IANS.

Once the deal will be finalised, Ponting will become the sixth head coach in seven seasons for the Punjab Kings, who finished ninth in the 2024 season and chose to part ways with head coach Trevor Bayliss.

Earlier this year in July, Ponting’s seven-year association with the Delhi Capitals had come to an end after the side failed to enter IPL 2024 playoffs, where they won and lost seven games each.

Under the Australian’s leadership, DC had reached the playoffs in three seasons - 2019, 2020 and 2021, while becoming known for his insightful coaching skills, nurturing youngsters and forming a good relationship with captain Rishabh Pant.

In 2020, DC had reached their first-ever IPL final, where they finished runners-up to Mumbai Indians. On the other hand, PBKS have not qualified for the IPL playoffs since 2014, when they finished runners-up to Kolkata Knight Riders.

Ponting had stints in the IPL with KKR and Mumbai Indians as a player till 2013. He was the with Mumbai Indians in an advisory role in 2014, before becoming their head coach in 2015 and 2016 seasons. Recently, Ponting was head coach during Washington Freedom's title-winning campaign in the 2024 season of Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA.

(IANS)

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