3 min learnJun 7, 2026 01:21 PM IST
Shreyas Iyer is the brand new captain of India in T20Is and amongst these elated by this improvement is Australia nice Ricky Ponting, who has labored with Iyer extensively within the Indian Premier League (IPL). Ponting is head coach of the Punjab Kings, the facet that Iyer captains and the previous was instrumental within the franchise buying him for a file value on the 2024 IPL public sale. Whereas that file was damaged simply minutes later by Lucknow Tremendous Giants to accumulate Rishabh Pant, Iyer has spearheaded a little bit of a revolution in PBKS, making them a formidable outfit that reached the ultimate final season and dominated the primary half of the league stage this yr, earlier than a spectacular collapse led to them lacking out on the playoffs.
Moreover, Iyer himself radically modified his method with the bat, going from being generally known as a participant who tended to play an anchor position to changing into probably the most damaging batsmen within the league over the previous two seasns. “It’s nice recognition of what he’s performed during the last three or 4 years actually,” mentioned Ponting on the Instances of India.
“I imply, you wind the clock again three years in the past of IPL cricket. He clearly captained KKR to a title there. You understand, captained us, Punjab, into the ultimate final yr and did a terrific job captaining our group once more this yr, albeit not making it via to the qualifiers. However the factor that stands out most for me about him is how he’s performed himself and the way he’s dealt with himself during the last three or 4 years. Like there’s, I’m positive there’s in all probability been occasions when he’s felt that he in all probability ought to have been picked in a couple of extra Indian groups that he has, however he’s all the time simply received again to work. He’s put his head down and he’s labored actually onerous and he’s grow to be a a lot better participant now than I believe he was 4 or 5 years in the past.”
“I’ve been the one endorsing him for the position and telling the Indian selectors that if they offer him an opportunity, I don’t assume they’ll be disenchanted. As I mentioned, it’s a terrific achievement. It’s terrific recognition for the onerous work he has put in over a protracted time frame, and I’m positive he’ll do a terrific job as captain of India,” Ponting added.
Ponting had labored with Iyer earlier when he was head coach of Delhi Capitals. It was the primary group that Iyer had captained within the IPL. “And he’s definitely a greater captain now, a greater chief, and doubtless a extra mature and extra well-rounded individual now. So yeah, I believe it’s nice recognition. I believe he’ll do a terrific job.”
“And once you consider a few of the different candidates, I imply, it’s full credit score to him that he’s the captain now as a result of there’s a number of different nice gamers in India. We all know that there’s a number of nice gamers in that present Indian group. And that group has had nice success as effectively over the previous couple of years. So for them to call him as captain, I believe it’s nice recognition and nice reward,” he mentioned.