Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting on Sunday rated Shreyas Iyer, whom they’ve purchased for Rs 26.75 crore within the mega public sale, as the best alternative to steer the crew in IPL 2025 because the Indian batter has the expertise of guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to tile earlier this 12 months. Iyer’s Rs 26.75 crore bid briefly made him the costliest IPL participant in historical past earlier than his India teammate Rishabh Pant set a brand new benchmark with a staggering Rs 27 crore take care of Lucknow Tremendous Giants. “I’ve labored with him prior to now in Delhi (Capitals); he is been a profitable captain within the IPL earlier than,” stated Ponting in a mid-auction press meet. “Clearly, he is a championship-winning captain from final season. We have somebody there who can do the job if that is the best way we resolve to go,” he stated.
The Aussie World Cup-winning captain additionally highlighted Iyer’s stellar unbeaten 130 for Mumbai within the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Saturday.
“I am delighted to have him again and work with him. He additionally bought a very good 57-ball 130 not out within the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy yesterday. If he can try this for us within the IPL, I feel all of us will probably be blissful,” added Ponting.
Having bought the Indian trio of Iyer, left-arm fast Arshdeep Singh and veteran leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal from the public sale room, Ponting stated they’ve “hit their targets”.
“The factor with the public sale is that you just simply should be versatile and transfer with the best way the public sale goes. We had some targets coming in and hit these three targets thus far.”
Pant barely over price range: Goenka
Delhi used RTM card for the flamboyant keeper Pant at Rs 20.75, however LSG proprietor Sanjiv Goenka signed “seven crore” to seal the bid at Rs 27 crore.
Goenka nonetheless stated they “barely” overpaid for Pant.
“This was a part of our plan, he was on our listing. We had saved about Rs 26-crore for him. So, 27 was barely up however we’re blissful to have him.
“He is an impressive participant, a team-man, a match-winner. All our followers ought to be very, very blissful to have him as a member of LSG.” Requested how they arrived on the magic determine, Goenka’s son Saswat stated: “Like Ricky was saying, what occurs on the public sale desk occurs on the public sale desk, irrespective of how a lot you deliberate for it. Issues do not work out that manner.
“It wasn’t actually a magic quantity; it was simply what we felt at that second would have been the fitting quantity for us to make sure that the RTM does not get exercised,” he added.
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