Just three months after ending his long stint with the Delhi Capitals, Ricky Ponting has taken on a new role as head coach of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) for the 2025 IPL season. This move appears to fulfill one of Ponting’s long-held aspirations that he couldn’t achieve during his time at Delhi—coaching Prabhsimran Singh. PBKS retained Prabhsimran as one of only three players ahead of the 2025 mega auction, opting not to keep any capped players on their roster.
In a recent interview with Sports Tak, Prabhsimran revealed that Ponting had shown interest in bringing him to the Capitals for the last three years. “He called me, and we had a good conversation. He said he’d been trying for years to bring me to DC and is thrilled to finally work with me here at Punjab,” shared Prabhsimran. The young opener expressed his own enthusiasm, eager to learn from the experienced Australian legend and contribute significantly to PBKS’s campaign.
Ponting’s hiring marks yet another shift for the Punjab Kings, who have now had six different head coaches in the past seven seasons. With only two playoff appearances in their IPL history, PBKS is hoping that Ponting’s experience and leadership will bring a much-needed change. Last season, they finished in ninth place.
Among their retained players for the 2025 season, the Kings have kept promising talents like Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma alongside Prabhsimran. Both Shashank and Ashutosh impressed in the 2024 season with their powerful performances. However, the decision to release key players, including pacers Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel, has raised eyebrows and put pressure on the new team lineup to deliver under Ponting’s guidance.
