Ricky Ponting Becomes Head Coach of Punjab Kings for IPL 2025
Ricky Ponting has been named the new head coach of Punjab Kings (PBKS) starting from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. He left Delhi Capitals two months ago, ending a seven-year stint with the franchise. Ponting has signed a multi-year deal with Punjab Kings, a team known for its diverse ownership.
Ponting is expected to have significant control over the coaching staff, with decisions pending on the future of last season’s coaches: Trevor Bayliss (head coach), Sanjay Bangar (head of cricket development), Charl Langeveldt (fast-bowling coach), and Sunil Joshi (spin-bowling coach). Ponting becomes the third head coach in four seasons for Punjab Kings, who finished ninth in the 2024 IPL season. The team has not made the playoffs since 2014, when they were runners-up.
One of Ponting’s initial tasks will be to identify players for retention ahead of the next season, pending the finalization of IPL’s retention rules. Key performers for Punjab last season included Harshal Patel, who won the Purple Cap for the second time, and the uncapped Indian players Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma. The squad also features notable talents like left-arm fast bowler Arshdeep Singh, wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma, leg-spinner Rahul Chahar, and a strong contingent of overseas players, including England’s Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow, and South African pacer Kagiso Rabada. With the recent retirement of Shikhar Dhawan, identifying a new captain will also be a priority for Ponting and the team management.
Ponting’s IPL journey began as a player with Kolkata Knight Riders in the inaugural 2008 season. He later joined Mumbai Indians, where he relinquished the captaincy mid-season in 2013, allowing Rohit Sharma to take over and lead the team to their first title that year. Ponting continued in an advisory role in 2014 and served as head coach in 2015 and 2016. In 2018, Ponting took over as head coach of Delhi Capitals, guiding them to three consecutive playoff appearances from 2019 to 2021, including their maiden final in 2020. After his tenure with Delhi Capitals ended in July 2024, Ponting led Washington Freedom to a title-winning campaign.
Doubts Revealed
Ricky Ponting -: Ricky Ponting is a famous cricketer from Australia. He used to be the captain of the Australian cricket team and is considered one of the best batsmen in cricket history.
Head Coach -: A head coach is the main person responsible for training and managing a sports team. They make important decisions about how the team plays and who gets to play.
Punjab Kings -: Punjab Kings is a cricket team that plays in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The IPL is a big cricket tournament in India where teams from different cities compete.
IPL 2025 -: IPL 2025 refers to the Indian Premier League cricket tournament that will take place in the year 2025.
Delhi Capitals -: Delhi Capitals is another cricket team in the IPL. Ricky Ponting used to be the head coach of this team before joining Punjab Kings.
Multi-year deal -: A multi-year deal means that Ricky Ponting has agreed to work with Punjab Kings for several years, not just one.
Coaching staff -: The coaching staff includes all the people who help train and manage the cricket team, like assistant coaches, fitness trainers, and analysts.
Retention -: Retention in IPL means keeping certain players in the team for the next season instead of letting them go to other teams.
Shikhar Dhawan -: Shikhar Dhawan is an Indian cricketer who played for Punjab Kings. He is known for being a very good batsman.
Retirement -: Retirement means that Shikhar Dhawan has decided to stop playing professional cricket.
Kolkata Knight Riders -: Kolkata Knight Riders is another team in the IPL. Ricky Ponting has worked with this team in the past.
Mumbai Indians -: Mumbai Indians is also a team in the IPL. Ricky Ponting has been associated with this team as well.
Playoff appearances -: Playoff appearances mean that the team made it to the final rounds of the tournament, which are like semi-finals and finals.
