Newly-appointed Punjab Kings coach Ricky Ponting has shared the strategies they used during the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) retention period and how he plans to leave his mark at the upcoming auction as well. However, each franchise announced their respective retention lists on Thursday, 31 October, with Ponting and Punjab Kings deciding to retain just two uncapped players – Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh and enter the auction well-equipped with funds and ready to build a new squad as well.
Ponting shared his decisions during an interview with Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review, saying, “I’m most excited about a new, fresh start. It starts to come together today, with the retention list. It’s well documented as to what I’ve done with Punjab (Kings). We’re only going in with two uncapped players and we’re going into the auction with the biggest purse by a long way. So, we’ve got the ability to put a whole squad of players together.”
Ricky Ponting also shared how he wanted Punjab Kings, who have failed to make the IPL playoffs since 2014, to play a completely new brand of cricket as well.
“A couple of new coaching staff come in as well (for Punjab Kings). The main and most important thing for me is making this whole franchise different. Making it different from outside, making the results on-field look different,” Ponting noted. “I want us to be the most dynamic and most entertaining franchise and group of players in the IPL.”
Meanwhile, a few India regulars such as KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer were let go by their respective franchises and Ricky Ponting expressed surprise at the development too.
“There are a lot of exciting players. So many. I’m a bit surprised with some of the non-Indian retentions if you like, with both Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant being available in the auctions,” Ponting said. “It was a bit surprising, even KL Rahul to a certain degree. It seems like individuals or franchises are busy looking to move in different directions to some of their players.”
“This is where it gets exciting,” Ponting again said. “You’ve got to understand who your number one target is and how much money you are willing to pay for them. That’s such a big part of it (IPL), of getting the auction right strategy-wise. And then handing it over to us, as a group of coaches.”
Among those retained is former India captain MS Dhoni, who at 43 years of age continues to remain with Chennai as well. When questioned if Dhoni’s role would evolve for CSK, Ponting stated that he didn’t expect a different approach from the franchise.
“Two seasons back, he had his worst season, but then last year he bounced back to really have some impact on the game. MS Dhoni evolved. I think it might be the same, though they might not look at getting him through the season, maybe resting him for a game or two,” Ponting suggested.
Ponting added that a player like Dhoni would naturally take up a leadership position in any side, irrespective of his role as a player.
“We shouldn’t forget that he’s been injured over the last couple of seasons, but any team he is going to be in he’ll be a mentor and leader of that group – whether he’s playing or on the sidelines. That’s just who he is,” Ponting added.
“That’s why he’s so important to Chennai, for the leadership he brings, on and off the field.”
Full IPL 2025 Retention List
Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni
Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abhishek Porel
Gujarat Titans: Rashid Khan, Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan
Kolkata Knight Riders: Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh
Lucknow Super Giants: Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Ayush Badoni
Mumbai Indians: Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma
Punjab Kings: Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh
Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Sandeep Sharma
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head
