Going all in for Iyer meant PBKS had to think before bidding for Pant when he entered the auction. When Pant's name popped up for auction, PBKS kept their paddle low throughout the bid as many franchises went after him.

Punjab Super Kings did not bid for Rishabh Pant, sold for ₹27 crore, due to signing Shreyas Iyer. Coach Ricky Ponting acknowledged Pant's talent but stated they weren't interested in a bidding war.

Shreyas Iyer is coming off fresh success as he became an IPL-winning captain last season. Having scored 3127 runs in his IPL career, Iyer has also led his team to IPL finals multiple times.

Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting praises Shreyas Iyer as the ideal IPL 2025 captain, highlighting his leadership experience and recent form. Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting has hailed Shreyas Iyer as the ideal captain for the team in IPL 2025 after securing him for a massive Rs 26.

Check out what Punjab Kings' head coach Ricky Ponting said about his side signing Shreyas Iyer in the IPL 2025 mega auction only on CricTracker

Punjab Kings splashed a huge sum of Rs 26.75 crore on IPL-winning captain Shreyas Iyer at the IPL 2025 mega auction. Punjab Kings head coach Rivky Ponting, who has worked with Shreyas at Delhi Capitals,

"We spent a bit of money, but what we're trying to do is rebuild this franchise basically from the ground up," Ponting says on spending big on Chahal and Arshdeep | ESPN.com

While talking to the official broadcaster, PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting disclosed that Iyer did not answer his call before the mega-auction.

Shreyas Iyer set a new record in IPL when Punjab Kings (PBKS) acquired him for a jaw-dropping Rs 26.75 crore. IPL 2025 auction began with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) placing an opening bid of Rs 2 crore,