Australian legend Ricky Ponting has disclosed that Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal were "non-negotiables" for him at the IPL 2025 mega-auction as the new head coach looks to rebuild Punjab Kings (PBKS) in quest of their maiden title.

Under Iyer’s captaincy, Kolkata Knight Riders clinched their third IPL title last season. However, the middle-order batter was not retained by the franchise, much to the shock of the fans, experts and former cricketer alike.

After parting ways with KKR, Shreyas entered the mega auction with a base price of INR 2 crore. He was sold to PBKS for INR 26.75 crore, making him the second-most expensive player in IPL auction history.

On the other hand, leg-spinner Chahal was signed by the Mohali-based franchise for INR 18 crore, making him the most expensive spinner of the tournament.

As far as Arshdeep is concerned, PBKS had exercised the Right To Match (RTM) option to secure the services of left-arm pacer for INR 18 Crore.

"There were three players that I wanted to bring in. One who has been at Punjab Kings for three or four years -- Arshdeep Singh," Ponting explained his strategic approach at 'The Howie Games' podcast.

"I also wanted to bring in a captain who I have worked with before and who has had a lot of success. So, we went after Shreyas Iyer. I also wanted to bring in Yuzi. So the Indian guys that we have are perfect,” he said.

Ponting, who was associated with the Delhi Capitals as head coach for the last seven seasons, further stated that his main aim was to build a well-balanced squad during the auction.

“And then, we had to make a few tweaks as the auction went on to make sure we ended up with a really good squad. I am trying to make things different and rebuild and have the right people around me. But these three were non-negotiables," he said.

The franchise also put faith on young Indian talents by retaining the likes of Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh.

"It's not so much about the overseas guys. The overseas guys create a lot of hype, and they go for a lot of money or whatever. But as far as I am concerned, I needed to bring the right Indian players back into the tent,” Ponting remarked.

The PBKS coach, who is quite a popular figure in India, reflected on the warmth he receives from fans.

"When you're in India, on most flights or when you check into a hotel, there are so many people around trying to have a picture or they wish to grab your bag to drop into your room. But it's part and parcel of an Australian cricketer's life when you visit India," Ponting said.

"You appreciate it more when you understand how much it means to them. There are people of all different ages. I think doing commentary gigs in India has allowed a lot of that, as I have spent a lot of time in the country now.

"I have also been able to work with a lot of players who have talked reasonably highly about me in the media. I think people have learned a lot more about me since my playing days," he concluded.

(With PTI Inputs)