Ricky Ponting, who was Delhi Capitals head coach from 2018 to 2024, revealed he pleaded with the franchise to not trade Abhishek Sharma away after IPL 2018 season. Ponting said, "We ended up trading him away...but I pleaded and pleaded and pleaded and said...'Please don't do this. We've got to [keep him], there's an absolute superstar in the making here'."