MUMBAI: Having worked in close tandem with Shreyas Iyer at Punjab Kings, where the duo formed a successful captain-coach combination over the last two IPL seasons — PBKS reached the IPL final last year and narrowly missed out on the playoffs this time — Australia’s former captain Ricky Ponting was naturally pleased for his franchise skipper and endorsed India’s selectors for appointing him as the T20 captain for the tours of Ireland and England, and also the 2026 Asian Games later this year.
“It's great recognition of what he's done over the last three or four years really. I mean, you wind the clock back three years ago of IPL cricket. He obviously captained KKR to a ***** le there. You know, captained us, Punjab, into the final last year and did a terrific job captaining our team again this year, albeit not making it through to the qualifiers. But the thing that stands out most for me about him is how he's conducted himself and how he's handled himself over the last three or four years. Like there's, I'm sure there's probably been times when he's felt that he probably should have been picked in a few more Indian teams that he has, but he's always just got back to work. He's put his head down and he's worked really hard and he's become a much better player now than I think he was four or five years ago,” an elated Ponting told TOI in an exclusive interview on Saturday, minutes after the decision was made official.
“I've been the one endorsing him for the role and telling the Indian selectors that if they give him a chance, I don't think they'll be disappointed. As I said, it's a great achievement. It's terrific recognition for the hard work he has put in over a long period of time, and I'm sure he'll do a great job as captain of India,” Ponting added.
Ponting felt that Iyer had improved as a captain over the years.
“And he's certainly a better captain now, a better leader, and probably a more mature and more well-rounded person now. So yeah, I think it's great recognition. I think he'll do a terrific job."
"And when you think of some of the other candidates, I mean, it's full credit to him that he's the captain now because there's a lot of other great players in India. We know that there's a lot of great players in that current Indian team. And that team has had great success as well over the last few years. So for them to name him as captain, I think it's great recognition and great reward,” Ponting said.
The former Australia captain revealed that Iyer is a highly motivated individual and that he did not need many motivational chats, even when the batter was being overlooked for India’s T20 side despite performing well in the IPL.
“I don't have to have too many motivational chats with him. He's a very self-motivated person. He wants to be the best player and the best leader that he can be. That's if he's playing for Mumbai, if he's playing for Punjab Kings, if he's playing for India. He just wants to be the best version
“It's great recognition of what he's done over the last three or four years really. I mean, you wind the clock back three years ago of IPL cricket. He obviously captained KKR to a ***** le there. You know, captained us, Punjab, into the final last year and did a terrific job captaining our team again this year, albeit not making it through to the qualifiers. But the thing that stands out most for me about him is how he's conducted himself and how he's handled himself over the last three or four years. Like there's, I'm sure there's probably been times when he's felt that he probably should have been picked in a few more Indian teams that he has, but he's always just got back to work. He's put his head down and he's worked really hard and he's become a much better player now than I think he was four or five years ago,” an elated Ponting told TOI in an exclusive interview on Saturday, minutes after the decision was made official.
“I've been the one endorsing him for the role and telling the Indian selectors that if they give him a chance, I don't think they'll be disappointed. As I said, it's a great achievement. It's terrific recognition for the hard work he has put in over a long period of time, and I'm sure he'll do a great job as captain of India,” Ponting added.
Ponting felt that Iyer had improved as a captain over the years.
“And he's certainly a better captain now, a better leader, and probably a more mature and more well-rounded person now. So yeah, I think it's great recognition. I think he'll do a terrific job."
"And when you think of some of the other candidates, I mean, it's full credit to him that he's the captain now because there's a lot of other great players in India. We know that there's a lot of great players in that current Indian team. And that team has had great success as well over the last few years. So for them to name him as captain, I think it's great recognition and great reward,” Ponting said.
The former Australia captain revealed that Iyer is a highly motivated individual and that he did not need many motivational chats, even when the batter was being overlooked for India’s T20 side despite performing well in the IPL.
“I don't have to have too many motivational chats with him. He's a very self-motivated person. He wants to be the best player and the best leader that he can be. That's if he's playing for Mumbai, if he's playing for Punjab Kings, if he's playing for India. He just wants to be the best version
10 days ago
