Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal non-negotiables: Ricky Ponting on Punjab Kings setup for IPL 2025

Punjab Kings pacer Arshdeep Singh (IPL/File Photo)

Punjab Kings' head coach Ricky Ponting, in his recent conversation with The Howie Games podcast, spoke about his new role with the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise. The two-time Australian World Cup-winning captain shared his vision for the team while reflecting back on his strategy for the 2025 IPL auction.

Promising that the season will indeed see a big change, 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 has built a strong squad this season with the IPL and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy-winning captain Shreyas Iyer set to lead the franchise this season. The addition of veteran Indian talent such as Yuzvendra Chahal along with the decision to bring back young speedster Arshdeep Singh further sets up the franchise for success.

Ponting further revealed that his vision was to bring in the right combination of Indian talent, which influenced his decision to acquire star players like Iyer, Arshdeep, and Chahal.

"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,” he said.

“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," the former Aussie international added.

The management’s decision to retain uncapped Indian players Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh further highlights their continued faith and push for the young Indian players. “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 said.