Australian great Ricky Ponting signs to Big Bash in off-field role

Australian great Ricky Ponting signs to Big Bash in off-field role

Web Desk
June 9, 2022

Australian great Ricky Ponting signs to Big Bash in off-field role

Ricky Ponting has signed a three-year deal with the Tasmanian Hurricanes.
The 47-year-old will assist the team’s search for a new head coach.
Ponting played for the Hurricanes in the first two years of the BBL in 2009 and 2010.

Ricky Ponting, the former Australian cricket captain and current Delhi Capitals coach, inked a three-year deal with the Tasmanian Hurricanes in Australia’s Big Bash League on Thursday.

In their 11-year history, the Hurricanes had never won the domestic T20 championship, and Ponting, who was born in Tasmania, expressed his desire to change that.

“With a few tweaks in a couple of key areas, I believe the Hurricanes have the foundations to win our first BBL trophy,” said the 47-year-old, who played for the team in the first two years of the tournament.

“The competition and the game itself have changed enormously from when I played for the Hurricanes back in BBL 01 and BBL 02, and I now know so much more about the nuances of the T20 game now than I did then.

“I’m passionate about the progression of Tasmanian and Australian cricket across all forms of the game so to be asked to take on such a critical role for the Hurricanes is really special.”

💜 PUNTER’S IN PURPLE 💜

We’re excited to welcome Tasmania’s own Ricky Ponting back to the Hurricanes family 👨‍👦‍👦

Ricky has signed a three-year deal as the Hurricanes’ @BBL Head of Strategy.#TasmaniasTeam pic.twitter.com/oItPuIGGnS

— Hobart Hurricanes (@HurricanesBBL) June 9, 2022

After Adam Griffith stepped down at the end of last season, Ponting’s first responsibility will be to assist the Hurricanes in finding a new head coach.

He’ll assist the coach with management choices as well as team strategy and culture, but he won’t be involved on a day-to-day basis throughout the season and will continue to work as a cricket commentator during the Australian summer.

Ponting, who will continue to coach the Delhi Capitals, has never had an official off-field position in the BBL before, but he has worked as a limited-overs cricket coaching consultant for Australia.

Before retiring from international cricket in 2012, Ponting was regarded as one of the best batsmen of his generation and captained Australia.