“Although they’re the owners, it’s my team now” - PBKS head coach makes massive statement ahead of IPL 2025

Punjab Kings (PBKS) head coach Ricky Ponting said the team will be completely his even above the owners in the IPL 2025 season. Ponting previously worked with The Delhi Capitals (DC) as their head coach for seven years from 2018 to 2024.

The former Australian captain helped DC achieve their best result with a runner-up finish in 2020. The franchise also qualified for the playoffs in 2019 and 2021 before enduring a playoff qualification drought from 2022 to 2024.

As a result, Ponting parted ways with them and took over as PBKS' head coach ahead of the 2025 season. The Kings have been undeniably the worst-performing franchise in IPL history, having qualified for the playoffs only twice in 17 seasons.

When asked about his upcoming head coaching role with PBKS in the Howie Games podcast, Ponting said [quoted by Indiatvnews.com]:

"Conversations have been had, we've had a good auction. I am happy with what we have done there. But from this moment on, although they're the owners of the team, it's my team now. They have to accept this is the way we're doing things. Just make it completely different from what it has been."

He added:

"They're aware of that, the owners, the administrators, the board of directors of this team are very aware of how I'm going to do things and I have told them. I laid it out right at the start. I've been in the IPL for 10 years, I have heard a lot of things that perceivably happened at this franchise and I've said to them, if you want it to be different then make it different."

The Punjab Kings' last playoff appearance came in 2014 when they finished runner-up to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Despite some promising performances, PBKS finished second from bottom in the last IPL season.

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"I've got to start with the right Indian players" - PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting

Ponting helped build a solid culture during his tenure with the Delhi Capitals [Credit: Getty]

Ricky Ponting stressed the importance of the core Indian players for PBKS to turn around their IPL fortunes.

The franchise acquired the services of the 2024 IPL winning captain, Shreyas Iyer, for ₹26.75 crores at the 2025 IPL auction. They also recently appointed him as the captain for the upcoming season.

"It's going to be really different, with the way we are perceived, the way people see us, the way we present ourselves, the way that we train, the way we play, the way we're led, it's all going to be different. And the auction strategy for me, if I am going to rebuild this franchise and make it more successful than ever then I've got to start with the right Indian players," said Ponting.

PBKS retained Prabhsimran Singh and Shashask Singh ahead of the IPL 2025 auction before acquiring Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal for ₹18 crores each during the auction.