Ponting looked back on his time as coach of Capitals of Delhi during the 2018 IPL and revealed that he had urged the franchise not to trade the young southpaw, a request that ultimately went in vain.
“I was his first IPL coach. He made his debut with me, I think as a 17-year-old in Delhi, and made an immediate impact,” Ponting said.
Ponting vividly recalled the moment he first saw Abhishek play, describing a daring shot that immediately helped him identify the youngster’s rare talent.
“He made his debut for me, I think as a 17-year-old in Delhi, and made an immediate impression. I think he hit his first ball over the bowler’s head for four or six in a row with that classic kind of straight bat and held the pose. And you could just tell then as a 17-year-old that there was something extra special,” Ponting said in the ICC review.
Despite Ponting’s strong objections, Delhi Capitals traded Abhishek to Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of the 2019 season, a decision the former Australia captain still regrets.
“We ended up trading him away from Delhi, but I begged and begged and begged and said please don’t do this. We have to keep him, there is an absolute superstar in the making here, and that is what it has become. I have very high hopes for him this time,” Ponting recalled.
Since then, Abhishek has more than justified Ponting’s faith. After a striking 19-ball 46 on IPL debut, he has emerged as one of the most feared power hitters in T20 cricket. For Sunrisers Hyderabad, he has been a consistent force at the top, and his recent international form has been even more explosive.
Ponting believes Abhishek’s fearless batting will be a game-changer in this World Cup, making him a potential top scorer and even a Player of the Tournament candidate.
India will start their World Cup campaign against USA on February 7 in Mumbai.
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