Shortly after Sanjiv Goenka, the principal owner of Lucknow Super Giants, announced Rishabh Pant as the new captain for the 2025 IPL season, Pant shared an unexpected revelation about his emotions during the IPL mega auction. Pant, who was in Australia at the time, admitted he was anxious about being picked by Punjab Kings, given they had the largest available budget heading into the auction.
He expressed relief when Punjab Kings chose to purchase Shreyas Iyer for Rs 26.75 crore, which significantly reduced their remaining budget and made it less likely they would bid for him. Smiling, Pant recalled, “Mereko andar se ek hi tension tha, woh tha Punjab” (I was tensed about one thing, and that thing was Punjab).Pant had a good relationship with Ricky Ponting, who had been appointed as the new head coach of Punjab Kings after his tenure with Delhi Capitals. Eventually, Lucknow Super Giants secured Pant for Rs 27 crore, outbidding his former team, Delhi Capitals.
Also Read: IPL 2025: Rishabh Pant appointed as Lucknow Super Giants' captain
Punjab Kings, who have never won an IPL title since the league’s inception in 2008, have struggled with inconsistency. Their only appearance in the final came in 2014, and they have failed to finish in the top five in the last seven seasons. In the 2024 season, they finished ninth out of 10 teams. Over the years, the franchise has faced criticism for frequent changes in leadership and coaching. Under the previous two seasons' head coach, Trevor Bayliss, and captain Shikhar Dhawan, Punjab failed to achieve significant success.
Previously, Anil Kumble had coached the team, but results were elusive. In September of last year, Ricky Ponting was appointed as the new head coach of Punjab Kings, marking his return to IPL coaching after successful stints with Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals. Ponting is the 11th coach in Punjab Kings' history and the sixth Australian to take on this role, joining the ranks of other notable Australian coaches such as Tom Moody, Michael Bevan, Adam Gilchrist, Darren Lehmann, and Brad Hodge.
