Ricky Ponting signs three-year deal with Hobart Hurricanes as head of strategy

Australian great Ricky Ponting has been appointed as the Head of Strategy by the Big Bash League team Hobart Hurricanes and signed a deal of three years. Hobart Hurricanes stated that he would work on match and list strategy with the coaches, going forward. Ponting also played for the Hurricanes from 2011 to 13 in the Big Bash League (BBL), and the team is yet to win a title.

The Hurricanes, in their statement, added that Ponting would now identify candidates for the now-vacant position of head coach. Ponting reckons that he knows much more about Twenty20 (T20) cricket now than during his playing days. He said that he is looking forward to securing the best coach for what the team needs and then building a plan.

To be asked to take on such a critical role for the Hurricanes is really special: Ricky Ponting

The former Australia captain feels that the competition and game have changed enormously over the years for the Hurricanes. He said that he was “passionate” about how the Tasmanian and Australian cricket have progressed across all forms of the game. He believes that with a few tweaks in some of the key areas, the Hurricanes would have the foundation to lift their first BBL title.

Ricky Ponting has also been in various coaching roles with Delhi Capitals (DC) and Mumbai Indians (MI) in the past in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and also won the competition with MI in 2015. The BBL title currently belongs to the Perth Scorchers, who won it against Sydney Sixers by 79 runs in the final, bringing home their fourth title overall in the competition.

“The competition and the game itself have changed enormously from when I played for the Hurricanes back in BBL|01 and BBL|02, and I know so much more about the nuances of the T20 game now than I did then,” said Ponting, as quoted by Cricbuzz.

“I’m passionate about the progression of Tasmanian and Australian cricket across all forms of the game, so to be asked to take on such a critical role for the Hurricanes is really special. I’m looking forward to getting to work and securing the best coach for what we need then building a plan for the team to execute next season.”