New Delhi, March 23 Head coach Ricky Ponting has urged Punjab Kings players to be physically, technically, and mentally sharp, drawing confidence from their strong performance last season.
Punjab Kings reached the IPL final last year after a decade, but a title eluded them as Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated them in the final match.
The team, led by Shreyas Iyer, displayed a dominant playing style that would make Punjab Kings one of the top teams in the IPL this year.
"This is training, this is preparation. It's about getting ourselves physically, technically, and mentally ready for the first game on the 31st," Ponting was quoted as saying in a release by the franchise.
Punjab Kings will face Gujarat Titans in their season opener at Mullanpur on March 31.
"I want you to think back and think about what you brought to this team last year, and that's what made us a good team," Ponting said.
The legendary Australian also urged his players not to get discouraged by failures as long as they stick to the game plan.
"We all make mistakes. That's fine. I will make mistakes along the way. You will all make mistakes, you might drop a catch, you might play bad shots, you might bowl a bad over," he said.
"But as long as you are sticking to what you know and what your game plan is, if you make a mistake, that's not a mistake in my eyes. It's just what happens in the game, it's a part of the game," Ponting added.
