In an alternate universe, Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting could have still been the men in charge at Delhi Capitals. Shreyas spent seven seasons at the franchise and led it to its first and only IPL final in 2020. Ponting was head coach then and also lent his services for seven years.

In both cases, the exits didn’t appear entirely amicable. When a shoulder injury ruled Shreyas out of the first half of the 2021 season, Rishabh Pant became the stand-in skipper. The middle-order batter from Mumbai, however, wasn’t handed back the leadership reins once he regained fitness for the second half, and subsequently parted ways altogether. With Ponting, who was coach from 2018 to 2024, Capitals attributed the Australian’s lack of availability in India through the year as a sore point.

Cut to the present, DC can only cast a wistful sigh at those calls as Shreyas and Ponting return to the Arun Jaitley Stadium as captain and coach of a red-hot Punjab Kings for Saturday’s clash. Since their reunion at PBKS in 2025, they have transformed a floundering unit into a formidable force, enabling it to exude the flair and aggression that characterises the duo. After a runner-up finish in 2025, Punjab has been just as dominant this season, notching up five wins in six matches (one no-result).