Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting said even though wins over Chennai Super Kings should inspire confidence within his side’s camp, it also becomes necessary for them to make a fresh start ahead of the all-important qualifier 1.
DC defeated CSK in both their league stage encounters of the ongoing season in Mumbai and Dubai quite convincingly. But before some complacency creeps into his team’s system, Ponting has thrown caution to the wind and reminded his troops they’ll be taking on the three-time champions under greater pressure.
“I think we should be very confident. We have beaten them twice in the league games, but as you know, the playoff games are completely different, and our tournament really starts now,”
Ponting said in a release issued by the Delhi franchise on the eve of the Qualifier 1 scheduled in Dubai on Sunday.
While second-placed CSK are heading into the marquee encounter after three straight losses, Ponting reckons they are a “very good side”, which have been on a “level pegging with us” throughout the tournament.
He added that he and his team “totally respect” MS Dhoni and company and will not be taking them lightly at all.
But in saying that “our tournament really starts now”, Ponting has raised the bar of expectations from his team that made the finals last year but lost to Mumbai Indians.
Among all the four teams that have made the playoffs, DC look the most settled and are only two wins away from holding their maiden IPL trophy.
The Aussie legend also mentioned that his team played better cricket in the loss to RCB than they did in their wins against Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians before that.
“We have played good cricket, the challenge now for us over the next week is to play great cricket, and I think that’s just around the corner for us,”
Ponting concluded.
Ponting also said that the final-ball defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore in their last league game felt “disappointing” but he was not too “unhappy” about that, as it gave his team a chance to “reflect” on things to improve ahead of the playoffs.
