‘He has that sparkle for captaincy’: Ricky Ponting hails Shreyas Iyer as Punjab Kings secure top-two finish | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: After Punjab Kings clinched a top-two finish within the Indian Premier League standings for the primary time in 11 years, head coach Ricky Ponting was filled with admiration for skipper Shreyas Iyer, crediting him for the workforce’s outstanding turnaround and calling him “a man with a sparkle for captaincy.”Following their dominant seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians on the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Ponting praised Iyer’s management and justified the franchise’s whopping Rs 26.75 crore funding in him over the last mega public sale.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“It was pretty obvious with the amount of money we spent on him — we wanted him here,” stated Ponting, who beforehand coached Iyer at Delhi Capitals. “He’s led this team superbly, from the front. He’s earned the trust of the players, and that’s a big thing. He has that sparkle for captaincy.”Who’s that IPL participant?The Shreyas-Ponting duo, which fell wanting a title in 2020 with Delhi, now finds themselves with two possibilities to achieve the June 3 remaining — a privilege of ending within the high two.

Ponting acknowledged the emotional second with plans for celebration. “We’ll have a couple of drinks and celebrate as a group — not just the 25 players but the 100-odd support staff who’ve travelled with us all season.”However, the previous Australian skipper additionally addressed a key setback: the unavailability of Marco Jansen, who’s heading to the WTC remaining with South Africa. “He’s a high-quality player and a big miss, but we’ve built enough depth to cope. That’s why Jamieson played tonight.”

Ponting additionally highlighted the function of Punjab’s youthful opening duo, particularly Priyansh Arya’s 62(35) in opposition to MI. “He’s one of the finds of the season. Fearless young talent — sees the ball, hits the ball,” Ponting stated, beaming with satisfaction.