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PBKS coach Ponting and skipper Iyer have been credited for transforming the team culture in IPL 2025. (BCCI)
Punjab Kings made a resounding comeback in the IPL 2025 Playoffs after a decade last week and topped it by confirming first place in the standings for the first time since 2014, beating Mumbai Indians by eight wickets in Jaipur on Monday night.
The Shreyas Iyer-led side has been on a roll this season, finishing on 19 points with nine wins in 14 matches. The Kings are slated to face one of Royal Challengers Bengaluru or the Gujarat Titans in the Qualifier 1 contest on May 29. Shashank Singh, one of the two players PBKS retained before the season, hailed coach Ricky Ponting and skipper Iyer for transforming Punjab’s team culture this edition.
Before their Punjab reunion, the coach-captain duo have previously worked together at the Delhi Capitals when they led the franchise into the final for the first time in 2020.
Shashank recounted how Ponting and Iyer had made their intentions clear from day 1 of the season itself, emphasising that every member of the Punjab Kings contingent will be treated with equal respect and maintained their word.
“Day 1, Ricky Ponting and Shreyas both told us. Like, they will treat Yuzvendra Chahal, maybe the most senior player, and our bus driver the same. I mean, this is something and they have maintained this,” said Shashank at the post-match press conference in Jaipur.
“They have shown the same respect to Yuzvendra Chahal and to our bus driver, which says a lot about the team,” he added.
“He has changed the team culture. He has changed our mindset. He has changed our beliefs. So, all those things, the credit has to be to him. Because, obviously, he is the one who changed our perspective towards the game. Culture, what I said. Caring about each other. Respecting each other. I mean, it’s very easy to say all these things,” said Shashank.
English (US) ·