New Delhi [India], January 13: Ricky Ponting, the newly appointed head coach of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS), expressed his excitement and pride in naming Shreyas Iyer as the team’s new captain for the upcoming season. Ponting lauded Iyer’s leadership skills, experience, and impressive track record.
In a video shared on the official X handle of Punjab Kings, Ponting said, “Hi all Punjab Kings fans, it’s Ricky Ponting here. It gives me great pleasure today to formally announce Shreyas Iyer as our captain going forward. He’s a great player, a great leader, with vast experience. He’s the IPL-winning captain from last year, and we’ve worked together for a long time. I’m excited for this year—bring it on!”
Iyer, who was acquired by the franchise for a significant Rs 26.75 crore at the IPL 2024 auctions, will now lead Punjab Kings under Ponting’s guidance. The duo will reunite for the 2025 season, bringing a wealth of experience to the team.
Punjab Kings had a successful IPL 2025 auction in November 2024 in Jeddah, where they carefully built a balanced squad of Indian and international talent. The team adopted a fresh strategy under Ponting’s leadership, blending seasoned IPL campaigners with rising stars.
Notable Indian players like Arshdeep Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Harpreet Brar were retained, alongside quality international players such as Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, and Lockie Ferguson. The squad also includes talented young domestic players like Suryansh Shedge, Pyla Avinash, Musheer Khan, Harnoor Pannu, Pravin Dubey, and Priyansh Arya, showcasing the franchise’s focus on future development.
Ponting credited the management’s diligent work behind the scenes during the auction, which played a key role in shaping the squad.
Punjab Kings Squad for IPL 2025:
Batters: Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh (retained), Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Singh Pannu, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash.
Wicketkeepers: Josh Inglis, Vishnu Vinod, Prabhsimran Singh (retained).
All-rounders: Glenn Maxwell (spin), Marcus Stoinis (pace), Marco Jansen (pace), Harpreet Brar (spin), Azmatullah Omarzai (pace), Aaron Hardie (pace), Musheer Khan (spin), Suryansh Shedge (pace).
Spinners: Yuzvendra Chahal, Pravin Dubey.
Fast bowlers: Arshdeep Singh (RTM), Lockie Ferguson, Yash Thakur, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Kuldeep Sen, Xavier Bartlett.