The Delhi franchise has improved leaps and bounds since the appointment of Ricky Ponting as the head coach of the side. Ponting assumed the role ahead of the 2018 season of the Indian Premier League.
However, even as Delhi finished at the bottom of the table in Ponting's first season, the wind of change had blown during the same season when Shreyas Iyer was named the captain of the side. In the next edition, a renewed Delhi franchise finished at the third place, before losing to Chennai Super Kings in the play-off match.
The CEO of the franchise, Dhiraj Malhotra, has now praised the former Australian captain.
"He has been an inspirational player. He is the most motivating person you can be with. See his enthusiasm at this age as a coach, player or commentator," Malhotra said in an interaction with ANI.
"We start the training every day with a small speech from him. From that speech, I could see people are getting goosebumps and getting inspired. He is part of every training that happens. To be trained by someone of his caliber it just has taken the team to a different level."
Malhotra insisted that it has been a "fruitful" experience for players as they returned to training, even with the challenges amid the pandemic.
"Players are giving it their all. Once they are on the field they forget about what is happening in the world. It is all about being in the moment and being on the field. I have seen everyone do that. You will get to see cricket at its highest level again," he said.
"If you forget the pandemic and challenges, it is been a very fruitful experience. Everyone back home feels that things are getting back to normal. Sports is happening and people are dying to watch some good quality cricket and this is what IPL is all about. Actually, it is a very positive and really brilliant feeling to be here right now,"
