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'Your time has come': India youngster reveals how Ponting made him 'strong and confident'; 'Those words kicked me on'
The Indian youngster revealed how former Australian captain Ricky Ponting's words ‘kicked’ him.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting may have not lifted a trophy with Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League yet; however, he played a key role in the side's gradual progression as one of the top contenders for the title over the years. In the 2020 season of the tournament, the Capitals reached the final; next year, the side topped the points table but faced two successive losses in the play-offs.
Ponting worked with a number of Indian youngsters during his time as the DC head coach and bowler Avesh Khan, who played for the franchise between 2018-2021, heaped huge praise on the Australian legend. Avesh revealed Ponting's piece of advice that “kicked” him and made him “strong and confident.”
“Both (Kagiso) Rabada and (Anrich) Nortje were injured and I knew I would get a game. I knew I would play, but was a bit tense. Then Ponting pumped me up by telling me, ‘your time has come young man and just show the world how good you are. You have the talent, we know. Now show it to the world too.’ Those words really kicked me on. I suddenly felt I am strong and confident,” Avesh told the Indian Express.
Avesh had a breakthrough season in the 2021 edition of the tournament, taking 24 wickets in 16 games for the franchise. He was the second-highest wicket-taker of the edition; only behind Royal Challengers Bangalore's Harshal Patel, who ended with 32 wickets. Following his success in the IPL, Avesh was selected as a net bowler for the 2021 T20 World Cup and eventually earned a maiden international call-up for the limited-overs series against New Zealand in November.
The youngster was released by the franchise ahead of the new season and Avesh is set to go under the hammer in the mega auction, which takes place between February 12-13.
Delhi Capitals had retained four players ahead of the mega auction; captain Rishabh Pant, Axar, Prithvi Shaw, and Anrich Nortje.
