India, March 18 -- Punjab Kings made a couple of big splashes in the months between the 2024 and 2025 seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL). They first signed Australia legend and renowned T20 coach Ricky Ponting as their head coach. Then they broke the record for most expensive buy in the history of the IPL auction to land Shreyas Iyer, before that was broken just minutes later by Lucknow Super Giants in their bid to buy Rishabh Pant. This reunited Iyer, who has been captain of the Kings, with Ponting; the pair had worked together with the Delhi Capitals earlier.

Ponting has now stated that he was "desperate" to work with Iyer again because of the relationship they had in the Capitals dressing room. "I was desperate to work with Sh...