‘Dominant Forces of the IPL….’: Punjab Kings’ head coach Ricky Ponting delivers a POWERFUL message ahead of IPL 2025 Mega Auction

New Delhi: November 24, 2024 – On this monumental day, 574 players from around the world will nervously await their fate as they eagerly watch the auction screen, hoping to see a paddle raised in their favor. However, leading up to the highly-anticipated event, newly appointed Punjab Kings' coach Ricky Ponting has been vocal about his eagerness to secure some exciting new talent in the upcoming IPL Mega Auction 2025. Ponting has set his sights on revamping the team's image and achieving unprecedented success. The revered former Australian captain has made it clear that his strategy involves starting from the ground up, which is why the Kings have only retained two players. Ponting's goal is to construct a formidable and competitive team that will leave a lasting mark on the league.

Ponting said, while talking to Star Sports, “I’ve been lucky to be around a few pretty successful teams. So MI for a few years and then DC, where we had a good run of making the playoffs there. And I liked the look of a few of the younger players in the Punjab Kings lineup. So that was the main attraction really, but mainly, it was to be able to start from scratch pretty much. The aim is to make the franchise one of the powerhouses of the IPL and make it a really dynamic, fun-loving environment that everyone wants to be a part of.”

Ponting also highlighted his mindset and MANTRA for a successful auction

Ponting highlighted three crucial aspects for a successful auction: sticking to the plan, keeping calm, and communication with the analyst. While talking to the broadcaster, Ponting said, “I think there are three most crucial things with a successful auction. One’s definitely making sure you stick to your strategy and not getting off that early on. I think being really calm and clear at the auction table is also a really important thing. And then communication on the day because, you know, you’re working with the analysts, you’re working with your owners.”

Punjab Kings have retained just two players: opener Prabhsimran Singh and middle-order hero Shashank Singh. They have a purse of ₹110.5 crore, which is the biggest purse of all IPL teams participating in the IPL Mega Auction 2025.