Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal Were ‘Non-Negotiables’: PBKS Coach Ricky Ponting

Punjab Kings (PBKS) coach Ricky Ponting talked about the franchise going hard for Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal in the recent IPL 2025 mega auction and said that he had told the management to buy these three players at any cost.

Ponting replaced Trevor Bayliss as Punjab Kings coach after the franchise failed to qualify for the IPL 2024 playoffs. The Punjab Kings decided to retain only two players Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh and had the biggest purse going into the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Punjab Kings went hard for Shreyas Iyer as they wanted a captain for the coming IPL season and bought him for INR 26.75 Crores. This made Shreyas Iyer the first player to break the INR 25 crore barrier in IPL auctions.

The franchise then used its RTM card to retain Arshdeep Singh for INR 18 crores and bought leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for INR 18 crores as well.

Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal were ‘non-negotiables’: Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting, the Punjab Kings' head coach, has stated why he encouraged the franchise to chase three Indian talents - Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal - in the IPL 2025 auction.

“There were three players that I wanted to bring in. One who has been at Punjab Kings for three or four years—Arshdeep Singh. 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,” Ricky Ponting said in a recent episode of The Howie Games podcast.

“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,” Ricky Ponting added.

Promising that the season will indeed see a big change, Ricky Ponting said, “It’s going to be really different this year with the way that we are perceived, the way we present ourselves, the way that we train, the way that we play, and the way that we are led. Everything is going to be different from the previous years.”

Punjab Kings last made it into the IPL playoffs in IPL 2014 when they played the final as well, losing to Kolkata Knight Riders.

I think people have learned a lot more about me: Ricky Ponting on fanfare experience in India

Ricky Ponting is one of the most respected and loved Australian cricketers in India. He played in the IPL for KKR and Mumbai Indians and has been a coach for various franchises in the tournament for over a decade.

Plus Ricky Ponting has also commentated in lots of international matches in India, leading to a lot of fan following in the country.

“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,” Ricky 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,” Ricky Ponting added.

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