Ricky Ponting, Shreyas Iyer
MUMBAI: Having worked alongside Shreyas Iyer at Punjab Kings, where the duo formed a successful combination of captain and coach over the last two IPL seasons – PBKS reached the IPL final last year and missed the playoffs this time – former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was naturally happy with his franchise captain and backed the India selectors to appoint him as T20 captain for the tours of Ireland and England, and also the 2026 Asian Games later this year.“It’s a great recognition of what he’s done over the last three-four years really. I mean you turn back the clock three years ago in IPL cricket. Obviously he led KKR to a title there. You know, he took us, Punjab, to the final last year and he did a great job of leading our team again this year, albeit not to the playoffs. But the thing that stands out the most to me about him is how he carries himself and how he carries himself.” He’s been dealing with himself for the past three or four years.
As it stands now, I’m sure there may have been times when he felt like maybe he should have been picked in a few of the Indian teams he had, but he always just got back to work. He has put his head down and worked hard and is a much better player now than I think he was four or five years ago,” a jubilant Ponting told TOI in an exclusive interview on Saturday, minutes after the decision was made official.
“I was the one who backed him for this role and told the Indian selectors that if they give him a chance, I don’t think they will be disappointed. Like I said, it’s a great achievement. It’s a great recognition of the hard work he has put in over a long period of time and I’m sure he will do a great job as India captain,” Ponting added.Ponting felt that Iyer had improved as a captain over the years.“And he’s definitely a better captain now, a better leader, and probably a more mature, more well-rounded person now.
So, yeah, I think it’s a great confession. I think he will do a great job.”“And when you think about some of the other candidates, I mean it’s full credit to him that he is the captain now because there are a lot of other great players in India. We know there are a lot of great players in the current Indian team. This team has also had great success over the last few years. So, for them to appoint him as the captain, I think it is a great recognition and a great reward,” Ponting said.The former Australia captain revealed that Iyer is a very motivated person and he did not need many pep talks, even when the batsman was overlooked for the Indian T20 team despite performing well in the IPL.“You don’t have to do a lot of pep talks with him. He’s a very self-motivated person. He wants to be the best player and best captain ever. That’s if he plays for Mumbai, if he plays for Punjab Kings, or if he plays for India.
He just wants to be the best version of himself. “So, it’s no secret,” Ponting said.Explaining why he chose to “get serious” with Iyer in the IPL auction two years ago, where the Punjab Kings spent Rs 26.75 crore to buy him, Ponting said: “I’ve been saying that for the last two years. That’s why, you know, when I took over as Punjab coach, the reason I gave my all for him.”
Shreyas
Ayer is at the auction because I wanted to work with him again.
“I knew he was the best person in the auction to move our franchise forward.”“So I have a long history with him. We’ve had some great times together. You know, we talk a lot about his hitting as well, not just his leadership, but we talk a lot about his hitting and making sure we’re hitting right and he makes a lot of runs.”“He’s done that, you know, the last couple of years. We’re back together again in the Punjab Kings.”
“He did it really well,” he said.Ponting said he will soon have a congratulatory chat with Iyer, where he will give him an idea of what the coveted job entails.“So, yeah, I’m very happy for him. Now that it’s official, I’ll call him and talk to him and congratulate him and make sure he makes the most of it and understands the enormity of the role he’s been given,” Ponting said.Asked if Iyer would be able to replicate the kind of success he had as captain of the Punjab Kings – taking the franchise to the IPL final last year and narrowly missing out on a play-off berth this season – Ponting replied: “Yes, without a doubt. I think he will have a lot of respect from all his teammates. That’s a big part of it. And I think he’s earned that over the last couple of years. With everything not going quite the way he wanted it to, he has worked his way not only back into the (Indian) team, but back into the team.” And as a leader.“So I think, look, he’s in a great place to be captain of India right now because he’s at the top of his game. And like I said, he’s at that age now too where he understands himself and understands what leadership is. And I think his personal form has been great as well. He hit 600 runs (604 runs in 17 matches at 50.33) last year. And this year, again, it’s about 500 runs (498 runs in 14 matches at 55.33),” Ponting said. So he hits well too).“He’s someone who loves big moments and big games. Even if you think back every time we (PBKS) were in a fast chase, he was generally the one who stood tall at the end and absorbed the pressure and got us to the finish line.”Ponting felt that Iyer’s ability to deliver in difficult situations convinced the selectors of his ability to lead India in T20Is.“I think that’s probably one of the big things that the Indian selectors looked at, is how he handles himself under pressure.
Because, you know, when you’re captain of India, it’s a high-pressure job. And I think, you know, for the most part, Shreyas has always found a way to play well in those big pressure moments. So I think as a player he will be fine,” Ponting said.“No, it was very quiet all the way through. We’re all disappointed at the end of the season. After having that start and then not being able to qualify, it was a disappointing end to the championship for us.
But see, when Shreyas speaks, everyone listens. His teammates never take their eyes off him when he has something to say about the team. That’s why I think it grew into that. We’ve grown into that year after year.
He’s grown into a really good leader. Am I surprised by that? No, I actually don’t. “I’m not surprised at all,” Ponting said when asked how Iyer would respond when Punjab Kings lost six straight matches in IPL 2026.
‘We knew it was coming’
“At Punjab Kings, we are all very happy and elated. We knew it was coming.
We have seen that he has all the attributes of a great leader, calm and cool and the way he approaches the game. He was born to be a leader,” Punjab Kings CEO Satish Menon said. Shreyas’ father, Santosh Iyer, was naturally happy, especially since his son has managed to come a long way after suffering a life-threatening spleen injury last year in October while getting a chance during the third ODI in Sydney against Australia. “We are very happy.
We are very happy with the hard work he did. After that injury and everything, it was a big setback for him. Yes, last year’s injury. Yes, he was injured. It was also dropped.
He was not selected in T20. But the competition is so big, you can’t complain either. All players are good. “They are all good,” Iyer told this newspaper.Santosh said Shreyas was disappointed when he was left out of the Indian T20 squad last year, but he “doesn’t keep thinking”.
“Yes, he was a bit disappointed, but he’s a good boy. He doesn’t keep thinking. He takes everything positively, and starts working on it again. That’s his plus point. He doesn’t cry. He doesn’t say, ‘I didn’t get selected. It’s okay, I didn’t get tested. I’ll work harder.'”Former Indian batsman and former Delhi Capitals and Mumbai coach
Praveen Amr
He has been coaching Iyer since he was 12, when the Mumbai player started learning cricket at the Shivaji Park Gymkhana Cricket Academy. Over the years, Amr has witnessed many ups and downs as a batsman. “The support of the administration of A Raq is very important and I am sure he will also do the job expected of him
Team India
. On this journey, I always supported him as his coach.
As a leader, I think he’s finding his way. Credit to him because it is not easy to lead an IPL team. He has shown that the support he gets from his teammates is very important. He has earned the trust of his teammates, which is important as a leader. Sometimes you have to be fair (as a leader), and I think he always did that. When there are important matches, he leads from the front, whether it is his strokes or his serves.
His performance has also improved in the last few years, which is important. “As a captain, I think his awareness of the game has improved a lot.”Amr added: “He went through a difficult period to get here, and with the support of his team, I believe he will come with bright colors. I am confident in his ability to do so.”Amr felt that Iyer’s extensive experience in the Indian Premier League was to his advantage. “He has now had the experience of playing in the Indian Premier League for over 10 years, and that is really important in international white-ball cricket. Team India has always supported him, which shows that he is India’s vice-captain in ODIs. So, I think that has really helped him. For any player, it is always an honor to captain the Indian team.” He addedAmr said he was expecting Iyer to be promoted to India T20 captain.
“He is India’s vice-captain (in ODIs). So he was in their scheme basically.”“I met Shreyas for the first time in my life at our team’s pre-season camp in Dharamshala, three weeks before the 2025 IPL. I spoke to him for about 15 minutes. Within 15 minutes of meeting him, I could tell that he was a natural leader. Fortunately, I am a leader in what I do, so I can know that! I told him that one day, sooner rather than later, you will become the captain of India.”
He smiled at me. I said, ‘When that day comes, remember what I said!’” Punjab Kings co-owner Ness Wadia told TOI.“I mean, he has been captain in the Indian Premier League for nine years now. 2027 will be his 10th year as captain of the Indian Premier League! The Indian Premier League is the world’s premier cricket tournament at the highest level. I have great respect for Suriya – he is a great player and captain, but Shreyas will also be a good captain (India T20),” Wadia added.