PBKS coach Ricky Ponting explains why Punjab Kings ‘wanted Shreyas Iyer at any cost’ in IPL auction

When defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders let go of their skipper Shreyas Iyer before the 2025 auctions, he was expected to go for a huge sum. The batter from Mumbai was picked Punjab Kings reuniting him with his former coach at Delhi Capitals, Ricky Ponting.
PBKS broke the bank, spending 26.75 Crores on Shreyas, indicating that they wanted him at any cost. “I’m the head coach and responsible for wins and losses, but once the game starts, the team is handed over to the captain. The coach can do very little once the game starts. It was pretty clear with what we did at the auction bringing Shreyas to this franchise, it was clear to me and the owners that we wanted the best possible Indian captain. We got our man. He’s been terrific around the group.” Ricky Ponting told The Indian Express.
Ricky Ponting’s full Express Adda interview will be published later today
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Shreyas Iyer with Punjab Kings coach Ricky Ponting and Preity Zinta, who is a co-owner of the team during IPL 2025. (Sportzpics for IPL)
Ponting, who took Delhi Capitals to the 2021 IPL final with Shreyas Iyer as the captain, heaped praises on the Indian batter and his confidence.”It all comes down to how you prepare. If you’re well-prepared, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t be confident. A great example of that right now is Shreyas. You watched him walk out to bat the other day, he walked out with a certain amount of swagger about him because he’s confident. He knows if he does his little things right, then he can’t fail.”
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting. (Illustration: Suvajit Dey)
There have been conversations about how the role of the coach is changing in modern-day T20 cricket. However, Ponting believes that the relationship between coach and captain is important for the team to win.” I don’t think a cricket team coach has the same impact as a football team manager. I like to share my thoughts and ideas with the captain and a few senior players. The relationship between the captain and coach must be as strong as possible. That’s why I went for Shreyas in the auction. I’ve worked with him for a long time in Delhi. He’s one of the great players and great people I’ve worked with and is an IPL-winning captain. We have a terrific relationship, respecting each other’s roles.”
The 2025 season has started well for PBKS as they sit fourth on the points table, winning two out of their three games, while Shreyas Iyer has scored 159 runs in the three games he has played scoring two fifties.