Ricky Ponting. Pic Credits: X

IPL 2025 : Ricky Ponting Baffled By Non-Retention Of Indian Players Ahead Of Mega Auction

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Ricky Ponting said that he wants Punjab Kings to be “the most entertaining franchise” in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Since the inception of the tournament back in 2008, PBKS have participated every time, but are yet to get their hands on the trophy. Punjab Kings newly appointed head coach Ricky Ponting opened up on franchise’s strategy behind the retentions and their plans for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction which will take place later this year.

Each franchise released its retention list on Thursday, 31 October.  Ricky Ponting and Punjab chose to retain only two uncapped players, Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh, entering the auction with substantial funds and a fresh approach to squad building.

Punjab Kings(PBKS) Coach Ricky Ponting has surprise plans with retention policies  of the team

In the retentions that took place on Thursday, October 31, the Kings retained only two uncapped players, Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh. PBKS have spent only INR 9.5 crore and have a massive purse of INR 110.5 crore, the highest among all 10 participating teams in the competition.

It’s a bold move from the Australian legend, with international stars like South African pacer Kagiso Rabada, England all-rounder Sam Curran, and India’s Arshdeep Singh among those released by Punjab ahead of the next IPL season.

“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),” Ponting told on The ICC Review.

“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,” Ponting added.

“I want us to be the most dynamic and most entertaining franchise and group of players in the IPL.”

Ricky Ponting also noted his surprise at some high-profile players, such as KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer, being released by their franchises.

Ricky Ponting surprized with some of Non-Indian retentions ahead of IPL 2025 mega auction

Former Australian captain and Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting expressed his surprise at the franchises not retaining the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Ponting opined that franchises are looking to move in a different direction altogether.

Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals), Shreyas Iyer (Kolkata Knight Riders) and KL Rahul (Lucknow Super Giants) were let go of by their respective franchises despite strong batting performances in the 2024 edition. All 10 franchises unveiled their retention list on Thursday (October 31). Shreyas had notably captained the Knight Riders to the title this year.

Speaking on the latest episode of the ICC Review, the Tasmanian suggested that he is in awe of the number of star players in the mega auction this time. He said:

“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. 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.”

KL Rahul also seemingly had a fallout with the Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka after the IPL 2024 game against the SunRisers Hyderabad as the former lost by 10 wickets.

Ricky Ponting on MS Dhoni getting retained with CSK for IPL 2025

With five-time champions Chennai Super Kings retaining Dhoni as an uncapped player, Ponting opined that the keeper-batter is unlikely to play all the games and could be only a mentor for them. He added:

“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.

“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 why he’s so important to Chennai, for the leadership he brings, on and off the field.”

The date and venue for the IPL 2025 auction is yet to be announced.

Also Read: IND vs ENG: “Side Arm Specialists In India Need To Work Hard To Prepare Batters For Tough Times”- Abhishek Jain Gives His Invaluable Insights


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