How Ponting’s pep talk convinced anxious PBKS foreign players to stay in India

Despite having the opportunity to return home to Australia, Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting made a bold decision to stay back, stepping off a plane filled with anxious passengers at the last moment.

Choosing to remain in Delhi, Ponting not only led by example but also played a pivotal role in reassuring the team`s foreign players. With tensions high and fears of a potential full-scale conflict between two nuclear-armed nations looming, the overseas contingent had been contemplating departure. However, Ponting’s presence and calming influence convinced them to stay grounded in the capital on Saturday night.

“It shows Ponting`s character. Only he could have pulled that off,” Punjab Kings CEO Satish Menon told PTI referring to the pep talk given by the World Cup winning captain to the entire bunch of foreign players.

Grateful to all for swift action ensuring everyone’s safety! 🙌🏻

Standing together – Desh ke Vaaste 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/o9R4RFxXxC

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 9, 2025

The anxious batch of players, who had to make a nervous road/train journey from Dharamsala to Delhi following the abandonment of the IPL game on May 8, included Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis and Xavier Bartlett (all from Australia).

“The foreign players are not used to something like this (war like situation). So, it was natural for them to feel anxious. Led by Stoinis, they all wanted to leave at the earliest and understandably so. But Ponting has convinced them to stay back post ceasefire which I think is remarkable,” said a source in the team.

South African Marco Jansen, who is a regular in PBKS playing eleven this season, is the only one who left India but is transiting in Dubai which is only a short flight away.

With the announcement of IPL resumption imminent, Punjab find themselves well-placed with majority of their star Indian and foreign players already in the country and on standby.

With Ponting galvanising the team from a nervous situation, it could push the squad to do something special in this IPL.

In the first season of Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting era, Punjab stand on the cusp of its first play-off berth since 2014.

The other stranded team in Dharamsala was Delhi Capitals after the game was abandoned after Punjab Kings raced to 122 for 1 in 10.1 overs. The match will resume from that position at a yet to be decided venue and date.

(With inputs from PTI)

This article first appeared on Mid Day