Ricky Ponting expects UAE pitches to 'offer a bit more bounce' despite slowness

Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting expects the UAE pitches to offer a bit of extra bounce in the first half of IPL 2020, despite being on the slower side. And that, he said, will suit the Capitals pacers' style of bowling.

The pitches in the UAE are expected to be on the slower side and deteriorate further as the tournament progresses, with the whole tournament being played across only three venues. Ponting feels his side has got a "very experienced" spin line-up as well, to cover for that.

Before the 2020 auction, the Capitals had traded R Ashwin from Kings XI Punjab, while retaining legspinners Amit Mishra and Sandeep Lamichhane, and left-arm spinner Axar Patel. With Chris Woakes and Jason Roy not available for the season, the Capitals further shored up their fast-bowling attack, which already had Ishant Sharma and Kagiso Rabada, with Anrich Nortje and Daniel Sams.

"We saw how damaging Rabada was last year at the Kotla and that was a slow, low pitch," Ponting told Indian Express. "I think these wickets will probably be on the slower side but will offer a little more bounce. That actually suits guys like Rabada, Nortje, Ishant Sharma, Avesh Khan, Daniel Sams.

"And as the tournament goes on, the wickets will probably change. They might spin a bit more in the back half and we have got a very well-balanced and very experienced spin-bowling group as well, with Ashwin, Mishra, Axar Patel and Lamichhane. We think we have come up with a really well-balanced squad."

The Capitals are scheduled to play seven matches in Dubai, four in Abu Dhabi and three in Sharjah. However, teams won't get a proper idea of the conditions in the Dubai stadium till the matches begin as practice in the city has been at the ICC Academy and not the stadium.

"Right now, we have almost had three weeks of practice so far," Ponting said. "We have moved around the venues as well. We have trained in Sharjah. We have trained in Dubai, at the Academy ground. So, we haven't actually been to the main ground in Dubai yet. We don't really know exactly what the wickets are going to be like.

"Whenever you are going to an auction, it's generally picking a squad of players that you think will serve you well in your home conditions. But I think we have got most bases covered."

The Capitals will kick off their campaign on September 20, against Kings XI in Dubai.