Ricky Ponting breaks silence on creating a Mini-Australia in Punjab Kings
Published - 29 Nov 2024, 01:17 PM | Updated - 29 Nov 2024, 01:44 PM
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Australian legend and current Punjab Kings (PBKS) head coach Ricky Ponting admitted that he might have to face criticism for creating mini-Australia in the franchise at the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) secured the services of five Australian players at the auction—Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, and Xavier Bartlett.
It was clear that the high number of Australian players picked in the Punjab Kings’ roster was because of Ponting’s influence, and it already created a buzz among the fans and cricket fraternity.
Ricky Ponting confident on Australian-heavy Punjab Kings lineup for IPL 2025
Now, Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting himself addressed the buzz, acknowledging that the heavy presence of Australian players could raise many eyebrows.
However, the former Australian skipper was confident in the PBKS strategy, saying the squad's balance was perfectly suited to their needs.
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With five out of eight overseas slots filled by Australians, Ponting explained that these players are the right fit for the roles that Punjab Kings was aiming to strengthen for the next season of the IPL.
The return of Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis to PBKS has added significant firepower to the squad, while the inclusion of newcomers like Xavier Bartlett, Aaron Hardie, and Josh Inglis, who are set to make their IPL debuts, adds an exciting edge to the lineup, with fresh energy and potential.
I’ll probably get some criticism: Ponting
Ricky Ponting was quoted as saying by IANS, “We have (a few Australians), and I’ll probably get some criticism. I think we have got five Aussies out of our complement of eight overseas. But when you look at the slots that we needed, the players that we have got fit into those roles perfectly.”
Ponting further said, “To have Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell back to Kings is huge as they have both played here in the past. A couple of new guys, including Xavier Bartlett, Aaron Hardie, and Josh Inglis, are coming into the IPL for the first time, which is also really exciting for us.”
Meanwhile, Punjab Kings made a significant investment in young talent at the IPL 2025 auction, securing the services of promising players like Priyansh Arya. The explosive opener was bought for INR 3.8 crore after a standout performance in the Delhi Premier League (DPL), where he scored 608 runs in just 10 innings with a staggering strike rate of 198.69.
Ricky Ponting says PBKS' young signings are very exciting
Apart from Arya, PBKS also brought in rising stars like Harnoor Pannu, a key member of India's 2022 U19 World Cup-winning team. Pannu impressed with 578 runs in 12 matches, including an impressive 33 sixes in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 tournament.
Other young talents are Musheer Khan, who shone in the U19 World Cup and domestic tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy, along with Suryansh Shedge, Pyla Avinash, and Pravin Dubey, who also caught the eye of the team’s scouts.
Speaking on the same, the head coach said, “We have brought some of the best young Indian talent into our group, which is very exciting. So, our scouts have done a great job and worked really hard and well to make sure that the auctions go exactly how we wanted them to.” Ponting signed off by saying that he was extremely happy with the auction and whatever they brought to the page.
