Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting have previously worked together at Delhi Capitals.
With the aim to clinch their maiden IPL title, Punjab Kings (PBKS) have shuffled the decks ahead of the 2025 season, slated to get underway on March 22.
In IPL 2025, Shreyas Iyer will captain the Mohali-based franchise. The right-handed batter led KKR to the IPL title win last year. He was signed for a staggering INR 26.75 crore by PBKS in the mega-auction.
Shreyas will reunite with Ricky Ponting at Punjab Kings as the latter joined the franchise as head coach after parting ways with Delhi Capitals, where the pair had worked together earlier.
With barely a few days remaining for the 18th edition of IPL, Ponting has revealed that he was “desperate” to work with Iyer again because of the relationship they had in the Capitals dressing room.
"I was desperate to work with Shreyas again. We had a great working relationship at Delhi over a long period of time. He's one of the best players that I've worked with," Ponting said in an interaction with the press.
"He's a great human being. He's an IPL winning captain. You couldn't ask for much more. He's only joined the camp a couple of days ago. So he's starting to make his mark on the team as a captain and as a leader," he added.
"We've put a great squad together. As you know, captain-coach relationship in any team is vital. And I know that we've got a really good strong one here," he further stated.
Shreyas Iyer was also glad to be back working with the Australian legend. "I've worked with him for almost three years in a franchise. And I know how he thinks about every individual on and off the field. He supports everyone. You see in some places there is a senior-junior culture."
"But when I worked with him for the first time, he made me feel like I'm a great player. And I can easily excel in this format. So, the confidence he gives is of a different level," the PBKS captain said.
In addition to having Iyer and Ponting, PBKS will be boosted by the return of swashbuckling Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who played a key role in the team’s run to the final of the IPL in the 2014 season.
Moreover, the franchise retained left-arm Arshdeep Singh by exercising the RTM option and also signed veteran leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Both players cost the Kings Rs 18 crore each at the mega-auction last year.