'Auction couldn't have gone much better': Ponting delighted with PBKS squad

Delighted at the composition of the new-look Punjab Kings squad after the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, head coach Ricky Ponting showered praises on the franchise's analysts and scouts for their efforts, saying 'it couldn't have gone much better' on the auction table.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

The franchise adopted a fresh approach under Ponting, to form a new core that could serve them for the next few seasons.

The Kings went into the auction having retained just two players and a maximum purse of Rs 110.5 crore, aiming to build from scratch with new head coach Ponting in charge. They snapped Arshdeep Singh after deciding to exercise their Right-to-Match (RTM) card against the Sunrisers Hyderabad's final bid of Rs 18 crore.

Kings broke the bank for the former IPL-winning captain Shreyas Iyer and bagged him for a whopping Rs 26.75 crore, the second most expensive purchase of the auction after Rishabh Pant, who was sold for a jaw-dropping price of Rs 27 crore to Lucknow Super Giants.

PBKS' third biggest buy was Yuzvednra Chahal, the only player to take 200 wickets in the IPL history, for Rs 18 crore.

Then, they bagged the Australian all-rounder duo of Marcus Stoinis (Rs 11 crore) and Glenn Maxwell (Rs 4.20 crore).