Ricky Ponting is now at the helm of Punjab Kings as the Head Coach. Here, we take a look at the list of three players Ricky Ponting might surprisingly retain at Punjab Kings.
Ponting is known to take bold calls and it won’t be a surprise if he does that again at Punjab. He surely would have seen the players in the mix before signing up for the gig,
1) Nathan Ellis
Nathan Ellis is the captain of Hobart Hurricanes, which has Ricky as the Head of Strategy. Therefore, we could say that Ricky rates the pacer highly. He is anyway a fine T20 bowler. Retaining him might cost INR 6 Cr unless the retention rules change. That can actually be a decent investment for PBKS.
2) Ricky Ponting could retain Sam Curran at Punjab Kings
Sam Curran is one of the players Ricky Ponting might surprisingly retain at Punjab Kings. The English all-rounder has been mediocre for the Punjab Kings. That said, getting a player like Sam could be hard. He is a left-handed batter and a bowler. Plus, he already has captaincy experience. He could add a lot of balance to the side. Ricky Ponting could get the best out of him if he uses him in a filler role.
3) Jitesh Sharma
Based on his form in IPL 2024, Jitesh Sharma does not merit a retention. However, it is tough to get a middle-order domestic batter who can keep wickets. Jitesh is also someone who has worked with Ricky Ponting back when both were there at Mumbai Indians. If Jitesh is given a clear role, he could actually flourish under Ponting.
