Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has been named the head coach of Punjab Kings (PBKS) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season’s mega auction. This comes almost three months after Ponting ended his seven-year association with Delhi Capitals. Ponting expressed his excitement about joining Punjab Kings, stating his gratitude for the opportunity and enthusiasm for the challenge ahead. He shared that his conversations with the owners and management made him confident about their shared vision for the team and emphasized their commitment to repaying the loyalty of the franchise’s fans, promising a transformed Punjab Kings moving forward.

Ponting will be the sixth coach for Punjab in just seven seasons, a sign of the instability within the franchise, which has only managed to reach the playoffs twice in IPL history and none in the last decade. Punjab Kings had a disappointing season in 2024, finishing ninth on the points table. With Ponting’s appointment coming just before the mega auction, one of his major tasks will be deciding which players to retain for the upcoming season and finding a new captain, following Shikhar Dhawan’s retirement from international cricket last month.

The team boasts some notable players, including Harshal Patel, who won the Purple Cap for the second time last season. The team also has exciting uncapped players like power-hitters Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma. In addition, they have India’s T20 World Cup-winning pacer Arshdeep Singh and wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma, who captained the side in a few matches last season. Punjab Kings’ overseas roster includes England stars Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Johnny Bairstow, and South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, giving Ponting plenty of options to build around.

Ponting’s IPL history is notable. A three-time ODI World Cup winner, he played in the tournament twice, once with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008 and then with Mumbai Indians in 2013. In the latter stint, he stepped down from the captaincy mid-season, allowing Rohit Sharma to take over, and later retired from all formats in the same year. However, Ponting stayed connected to the IPL, serving as an advisor for Mumbai Indians in 2014 before taking on the role of head coach in 2015 and 2016.

In 2018, Ponting became the head coach of the Delhi franchise, guiding them to three consecutive playoff appearances from 2019 to 2021, including a runner-up finish in 2020. However, Delhi struggled in the next few seasons, failing to make the playoffs, and Ponting parted ways with the franchise in July 2024. His new role at Punjab Kings marks the start of another chapter in his storied IPL journey.