IPL Auction 2025: Mohammad Kaif exposes Ricky Ponting vs Sourav Ganguly feud at Delhi Capitals

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has opened up about Ricky Ponting's coaching tenure at Delhi Capitals (DC), exposing the Australian legend's crucial mistakes that led to his ouster by the team owners ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Mohammad Kaif, who served as the assistant coach of Delhi Capitals (DC) in 2019 and 2020, credited Sourav Ganguly's strategic brilliance as the driving force behind the team’s remarkable run to the IPL 2020 Final.

Mohammad Kaif reveals Ricky Ponting's blunders as Delhi Capitals (DC) head coach

He highlighted Ricky Ponting's failure to secure an IPL title during his seven-year stint as head coach of the Delhi Capitals (DC), calling it his biggest regret.

Reflecting on the internal dynamics, the former Indian batter revealed how Sourav Ganguly, who was appointed DC’s Director of Cricket in 2019, clashed with Ricky Ponting over crucial decisions, including the trading of Shikhar Dhawan from Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

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Kaif revealed that Ponting believed that Shikhar Dhawan's career was nearing its end because of David Warner’s influence at SRH. However, Sourav Ganguly highlighted Dhawan's unmatched IPL record, and his insistence eventually forced Ponting to go for the former Indian opener. The move proved a masterstroke, as Dhawan became a key pillar in DC’s success story.

Sourav Ganguly convinced us, but Ricky Ponting did not agree for Shikhar Dhawan's trade: Mohammad Kaif

Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube channel: “I think Ponting would himself admit he could have done better because the team we made, me, Sourav Ganguly...you won't believe there were times we could think whom we should drop. There was no place for Ajinkya Rahane, Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, or even Hetmyer.

Then when we went to the auction... this was Ganguly who decided, and I must praise him for that. He said we have to back the Indian players. He talked to Shikhar Dhawan, after which that trade had happened with Hyderabad. It was Ganguly who convinced us that we needed him. Ponting did not agree.”

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Kaif further said that Ponting felt Dhawan’s career was over because he was dropped from the Test team. The former Indian cricketer further made a bold claim by saying that David Warner must have influenced Ponting against going with Dhawan and told him that he no longer remains a great player.

"In fact, this thing was highlighted in the meeting that Dhawan is a trusted player who can score 500 runs in a season. David Warner was in Hyderabad, and I feel he must have influenced Ponting against going with Dhawan. I feel he must have told Ponting that he no longer remains a great player."

I feel Ricky Ponting might have regretted: Kaif

But Sourav Ganguly and the DC co-owner Parth Jindal backed Dhawan and traded him, and the India batter proved them right because they had reached the final in 2020 because of the Gabbar, revealed the former Indian batter ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah.

Kaif signed off by saying, “So, I feel Ricky Ponting might have regretted that he would have done better because they did not win a trophy in those seven years. In fact, Ganguly should be credited for bringing Ashwin to the team as well. The franchise owner must have felt Ponting no longer had good game plans and parted ways with him.”