Ricky Ponting Reunites With Shreyas Iyer Ahead Of IPL 2025, Gives Him Special Mention For Winning CT 2025 | Watch
Shreyas Iyer joined Punjab Kings for Rs 26.75 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction, and he will lead the franchise in the upcoming season of the world's richest franchise cricket league.
Legendary Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting has reunited with Shreyas Iyer once again. The 50-year-old former right-handed batter, who mentored Delhi Capitals to the IPL final in the 2020 season under Iyer’s leadership, will work once again with the Indian star in the cash-rich league this year but for a new team – Punjab Kings. Ponting, after parting ways with Delhi Capitals in July last year, joined PBKS in August and then signed Iyer in the IPL 2025 mega auction on November 24.
The 30-year-old right-handed batter led Kolkata Knight Riders to an IPL title win in the 2024 season, but despite that, he was not retained by the franchise, following which he entered the auction and secured a deal worth Rs 26.75 crore with PBKS.
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Iyer, who was appointed as PBKS captain in January 2024, joined the team’s training camp in Dharamsala on Monday (March 17) and received a grand welcome from Ponting. The two-time ODI World Cup and two-time Champions Trophy-winning team captain gave special mention to Iyer’s contribution in India’s Champions Trophy 2025 title win.
“Captain and one of the players of the ICC Champions Trophy, Shreyas Iyer," said Ponting while introducing Iyer to his new teammates.
Welcoming the champion shers to the squad! 🦁#IPL2025 #PunjabKings pic.twitter.com/4utY9wnv7O— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) March 17, 2025
Iyer, who is the only captain to lead two teams to IPL finals, will make his debut as PBKS captain on Tuesday (March 25) against Gujarat Titans. The match between them is scheduled to take place at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
PBKS will face Lucknow Super Giants in the second league stage match on April 1 at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, and the team’s first home match at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur will be played against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday, April 5 evening.
Iyer’s record in IPL
Shreyas has played 116 matches for two teams in the IPL so far, and with the help of 21 half-centuries, scored 3127 runs. His best performance with the bat came during the 2020 season when, in 17 matches, he amassed a total of 519 runs.
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