India, March 19 -- Sixteen captains in 17 IPL seasons. A telling statistic that reveals the struggles for Punjab Kings, season after season. Coming third in the inaugural IPL 2008 and the 2014 runners-up status are not even discussed. The eighth and ninth place finishes, in 2023 and 2024, though cast an unwanted shadow.

Punjab Kings will hope this will be the year of resurgence. A new coach in Ricky Ponting, and the 17th skipper in a player with whom he shares a special bond Shreyas Iyer. And the batter, bought for Rs.26.75 crore at the auction, has arrived with great expectations and confidence, having led Kolkata Knight Riders to the 2024 title and then anchor almost every innings in India's Champions Trophy triumph. On the kind of slo...