IPL as big as international cricket: Ricky Ponting explains India's huge talent pool
India Today
Ricky Ponting believes the Indian Premier League plays a major role in shaping India's T20 success. The former Australia captain said IPL matches are as intense as international games and help prepare players for the national team.
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting believes the Indian Premier League has played a major role in building India’s remarkable T20 strength. The Punjab Kings head coach said the intensity and pressure of IPL matches prepare Indian players for international cricket.
India recently reinforced their dominance in the format after defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the T20 World Cup 2026 final in Ahmedabad, becoming the first team in history to successfully defend the title. Speaking on The ICC Review, Ponting said India’s white-ball success over the last few years highlights the strength of the current squad.
"It's really hard to argue a point against that. If you look at this, not just the T20I team but their white-ball record in ICC events over the last five or six years, it's quite remarkable," Ponting said.
"This is a very, very strong Indian white-ball team, not just a T20 team. Back-to-back World Cups, hats off to them," he added.
Ponting also pointed out that India’s players gain valuable experience through regular high-pressure games in the IPL. The Punjab Kings head coach explained how the scale and competitiveness of the IPL closely match international cricket.
"The one thing that's probably overlooked with this current team is the amount of experience and the amount of cricket a lot of these guys have played, whether it's international cricket or even just the IPL," he said.
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