Punjab Kings (PBKS) are not the same team anymore. From a side known for being inconsistent and missing the playoffs regularly, they have now become one of the strongest teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 . A big reason behind this change is the new captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting.
Iyer was surprisingly released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) despite winning the title last year. He was picked up by PBKS for a huge amount of Rs 26.75 crore at the IPL 2025 auction. For a short time, Iyer was the most expensive player ever bought in an IPL auction until Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) splashed Rs 27 crore on Rishabh Pant a few minutes later.
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Iyer proves his worth
Iyer has proved his worth as PBKS have not only reached the IPL 2025 playoffs but also finished in the top two of the league table. They will now play in Qualifier 1, which will give them two chances to reach the final. Iyer is now the only player to take three different teams into the top two of the IPL , including Delhi Capitals in 2020 and KKR in 2024.
However, the success for the Punjab Kings didn’t come overnight. They had a new-look squad after the auction and everyone was watching to see how they would perform. With Iyer as captain and Ponting as coach, PBKS decided to play fearless and attacking cricket. The opening pair of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh has given them good starts in most games.
In the middle order, Josh Inglis and Shreyas Iyer have played smart and aggressive cricket. Iyer even moved himself down to No. 4 and promoted Inglis to No. 3 in their last league game against Mumbai Indians because he believed the Australian wicketkeeper-batter should face more balls. That move worked perfectly and Inglis scored 73 off 42 balls to help PBKS win and go on top of the table.
Iyer-Ponting reunion
Meanwhile, the off-field culture has been just as important as the on-field tactics for the side. Speaking about the team environment, Iyer said, “Ricky has been fantastic, and for me it was about gaining the trust of every individual. And that happened by winning matches, and I personally feel we need to maintain that relationship throughout. When you are down in the dumps, it is easy to backstab each other.”
“We have a camaraderie from the last few years, he (Ponting) lets me be decisive on the field, all these things have culminated in a great way. Ecstatic that everything is working,” he added.
Ponting, who had also worked with Iyer at Delhi Capitals, said he was sure Iyer was the right man to lead PBKS and bring a new culture. “I was pretty keen to work with him again. It was pretty obvious that how much money I was willing to spend on him at the auction. We had a great working relationship in Delhi, we made a final in Delhi under his captaincy.”
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“I’ve known him as a person and as a player for a long time. He’s a quality person, and when you’ve got quality people around your team when you’re trying to make a difference, and you’re trying to change culture, that’s what you need,” Ponting added.
The new PBKS ethos
But the biggest sign of the cultural shift came from PBKS batter Shashank Singh, who revealed the changes brought in by Ponting and Iyer after they joined the side ahead of IPL 2025.
“Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting, in the first team meeting, made it clear that they’ll treat Yuzi Chahal, our most senior player, and our bus driver the same way. They’ve maintained this. They’ve given the same respect to Yuzi and our bus driver.”
In a video shared by PBKS, Iyer shared his philosophy, which reflects the new culture in the team. “Aaj hai kal nahi hai. Kyun ki aap jitna upar ja sakte ho, utna niche bhi gir sakte ho,” Iyer said.
“It’s important that you stay in the centre, stay down to earth and always have that gratitude towards everyone because whoever has helped you to reach where you are in your career, you always have to be appreciative of the fact that without these people, I wouldn’t be here and the sacrifice they have made for you, that is the most important of everything. So, you need to have that sort of respect and be humble around everyone,” he concluded.
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Meanwhile, Iyer now has a chance to create history and become the first-ever captain in IPL to lead two different teams to a title win. The first qualifier is scheduled to be held on 29 May, where PBKS will face either Gujarat Titans or Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
