Punjab Kings (PBKS) secured a spot in the Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 with a dominant seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in Jaipur. This top finish gives them two chances to reach the final. After the triumph, batter Shashank Singh credited head coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer for leading PBKS to their first playoff spot since 2014. Shreyas, bought for Rs 26.75 crore after being released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), led them to the title last year.
Ponting joined PBKS after an eventful stint with Delhi Capitals (DC). Iyer stands on the brink of becoming the first captain ever to lead two different teams to consecutive IPL titles
Shashank commended Ponting and Shreyas for fostering a positive culture, noting their approach to treating senior players like Yuzvendra Chahal with the same respect as the bus driver.
Shashank also highlighted how Ponting has been instrumental in instilling self-belief in every member of the Punjab Kings squad
“On Day 1, both Ricky Ponting and Shreyas told us that they would treat everyone equally, whether it’s Yuzvendra Chahal, our most senior player, or our bus driver. They’ve stuck to that and shown the same respect to both, which speaks volumes about the team,” Shashank said after the match.
“Ponting has transformed the team’s culture, mindset, and beliefs. All the credit goes to him, as he’s the one who changed our perspective on the game. It’s about caring and respecting each other. It’s easy to talk about these values,” Shashank explained.
“Anyone can say these things, but building that culture is a different challenge. He made sure that a strong culture was created in the dressing room,” he added.
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