'Treat Yuzvendra Chahal And Bus Driver The Same': Ricky Ponting Credited For Changing PBKS Culture

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Last Updated:May 27, 2025, 12:40 IST

Ricky Ponting is being praised for changing the squad civilization astatine Punjab Kings arsenic the franchise gears up for the IPL 2025 playoffs.

Yuzvendra Chahal (left) with PBKS caput manager Ricky Ponting (BCCI Photo)

Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction past year, Punjab Kings kickstarted the process to overhaul their squad aft enduring years of below-par performances. The franchise roped successful Australia fable Ricky Ponting arsenic the caput manager and retained conscionable 2 players, some uncapped, arsenic they entered the auction with the highest purse. They broke the slope to motion Shreyas Iyer, the IPL winning captain, and swiftly handed him the reins of the franchise.

Fast guardant to IPL 2025, PBKS person ended their decade-long hold of qualifying for the playoffs. And they are presently sitting astatine the apical of the points array with conscionable 1 league lucifer remaining. The 2014 runners-up person ensured a top-two decorativeness to participate Qualifier 1 and guarantee themselves 2 chances to marque it to the rubric clash.

One of the cardinal reasons wherefore the squad has had a productive play is due to the fact that of their designated finisher – Shashank Singh, 1 of the 2 uncapped batters PBKS retained.

Shashank credits Ponting for changing the mindset and civilization successful the franchise.

“By acold the champion squad manager I’ve ever played. I’ve mentioned 2 names before, Brian Lara Sir and present I’m mentioning Ricky Ponting sir due to the fact that helium has changed the squad culture, helium has changed our mindset, helium has changed our belief. So each those things, the recognition has to beryllium to him due to the fact that evidently he’s the 1 who changed our position towards the game," Shashank told reporters aft PBKS defeated Mumbai Indians successful Jaipur connected Monday.

When quizzed implicit what taste changes Ponting has made, the 33-year-old replied, “Caring astir each other, respecting each other, feeling blessed successful each other’s performance. I mean, it’s precise casual to accidental each these things and evidently you request to bash this, you request to bash that. But again, gathering it is simply a antithetic thing. So helium made definite that."

Citing an example, Shashank recalled however Ponting and Iyer person made definite that each subordinate of the PBKS contingent is treated equally.

“Day 1, helium and Shreyas, some told us, they volition dainty Yuzi Chahal, the astir elder player, and a autobus operator the same. I mean, this is thing and they’ve maintained this, they’ve maintained this that they’ve fixed the aforesaid respect to Yuzi Chahal, and they’ve fixed the aforesaid respect to our autobus driver. So this says a batch astir the team," Shashank said.

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News cricket 'Treat Yuzvendra Chahal And Bus Driver The Same': Ricky Ponting Credited For Changing PBKS Culture