As the Punjab Kings (PBKS) prepare to play their first Indian Premier League (IPL) final since 2014, captain Shreyas Iyer spoke about some of the strategies used by head coach Ricky Ponting to help them become a formidable force.
Shreyas scored an unbeaten 87 off 41 balls in Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians (MI), assisting PBKS in chasing down a 204-run mark in 19 overs with five wickets remaining. The right-handed batter stated that Ponting treated all players equally and motivated the team with morale-boosting remarks before and after games.
“Ricky Ponting is a great coach who manages his guys with precision. One thing that jumps out about him is how he respects all players equally. That’s a huge benefit for everyone, whether they’re juniors or seniors,” Iyer stated in a news conference ahead of PBKS’ IPL 2025 final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Tuesday, June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
“I’ve never seen his emotions go up and down regardless of the outcome. That is the indication of an excellent coach. And the aggressive thoughts that he presents in his talks before and after the game give us a huge lift. We are always delighted to hear him speak after the game, and it’s an honour to work with him,” he said.
Interestingly, the Ponting- Shreyas Iyer combination also helped the Delhi Capitals reach the IPL final for the first time in 2019.
Now, they are on the verge of making history with PBKS. They would be full of confidence after their comprehensive win against five-time champions Mumbai in Qualifier 2.
Shreyas has led the team from the front. He has been the personification of consistency, scoring 603 runs in 16 innings with an average of 54.82 and a strike rate of 175.81. In the summit clash, the 30-year-old will like to pick off where he left off against MI.
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