IPL 2025 mega auction: Will Shreyas Iyer captain Punjab Kings? Coach Ricky Ponting drops MASSIVE hint

Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting has hailed Shreyas Iyer as the ideal captain for the team in IPL 2025 after securing him for a massive Rs 26.75 crore in the mega auction on Sunday. Ponting highlighted Iyer’s leadership credentials, pointing to his experience in guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title earlier this year.

Iyer's record-breaking price briefly made him the most expensive player in IPL history, only for his India teammate Rishabh Pant to surpass it moments later with Lucknow Super Giants shelling out an astonishing Rs 27 crore to secure the wicketkeeper-batter.

"I've worked with him in the past in Delhi (Capitals); he's been a successful captain in the IPL before," said Ponting in a mid-auction press meet.

"Obviously, he's a championship-winning captain from last season. We've got someone there who can do the job if that's the way we decide to go," he said.

The Australian World Cup-winning captain also praised Shreyas Iyer's outstanding unbeaten knock of 130 for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Saturday. "I'm delighted to have him back and work with him. He also got a good 57-ball 130 not out in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy yesterday. If he can do that for us in the IPL, I think we all will be happy," added Ponting.

After acquiring the Indian trio of Shreyas Iyer, left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh, and veteran leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in the auction, Ponting stated that they have "hit their targets."

"The thing with the auction is that you just have to be flexible and move with the way the auction goes. We had some targets coming in and hit those three targets so far," the Australian added.