IPL 2018 | Ricky Ponting ensures Kotla to be Delhi Daredevils' only home ground

The 11th season of the league will be rejoined by two popular teams Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals who entered into the fray after serving their two-year ban. In the opening month of the year, the management organized the mega-auction which ensured that in this season teams will enter in the contest with a whole new squad. The franchises are eager to increase the number of their fans who come at the stadiums to cheer their favorite players.

Delhi Daredevils didn’t like the idea of playing their home games in multiple venues and it is learned that the decision was taken because of the newly-appointed coach Ponting as he wanted to play the home games at a single venue. Reportedly, the franchise and IPL were wanted to play at least their two home games outside Delhi and had considered Lucknow as one of their options. But the former Mumbai Indians skipper told the operations department at DD that the team’s home should be played only at the Kotla.

"Kotla should be Delhi's den. Everyone should fear entering it. Delhi should be based out of one home centre," Ponting is said to have told the officials as reported by TOI.

The decision came as an end on the efforts to pick Lucknow and Raipur as Daredevils’ away home grounds. In the past, Delhi had played a few games in Raipur but the franchise failed to create a huge fan base in the city. Kings XI Punjab, on the other hand, are likely to play only three games at their home ground of Mohali, on April 15, 19, and 23, because of the maintenance work at the Chandigarh airport and it will be closed from May 12 to 31.