Former IPL-winning captain Adam Gilchrist has picked his orange cap contender for the 18th edition while backing the new leadership at Punjab Kings (PBKS) to change the team’s fortune for good. Gilchrist won the IPL in 2009 with the now-defunct Deccan Chargers but failed to lead the Punjab side to glory during his stint. He, however, dropped ground-breaking revelations about how the management was erratic and acted like a handbrake when he led them.

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"There’s still the same ownership when I was the captain of that particular franchise, and it was somewhat erratic at times, and that might be the handbrake for them for a long while," the former PBKS captain Gilchrist said on the YouTube show Club Prairie Fire.

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Meanwhile, Punjab Kings have a new head coach - Ricky Ponting, and skipper - Shreyas Iyer, heading into IPL 2025, and Gilchrist believes with Punter around, as fans used to call Ponting, he can help settle PBKS’ sinking ship. PBKS is among the only three IPL teams, alongside the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, to have never won a title.

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Throwing weight behind this new pairing of Iyer and Ponting at PBKS, Gilchrist said considering they had worked previously, they know how to function in tandem, something that might click for the team.

“I think the combination of Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer will inspire that franchise. They have worked well together previously, and that’s going to be the cohesive gel to bring their ownership together. But I think Ricky will settle the ship,” Gilchrist added.

New orange cap winner

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As accolades go, the player with the most runs gets the orange cap, while the purple cap is bestowed upon the highest wicket-taker. With the tournament already underway, Gilchrist picked his first choice for the orange cap holder, and without any surprises, it’s PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer.

Considering the new-look PBKS side filled with plenty of match winners, Iyer is likely to bat at number three, a position Gilchrist feels will help stay among the runs.

“Shreyas Iyer is going to be my Orange Cap wearer by the end of it. He is going to bat at number three. He has been talking about it and he is shifting up the order and taking on the leadership role for them,” he continued. 

Besides his batting number, Iyer’s credentials as a captain will benefit PBKS this season. Under Iyer’s leadership, Kolkata Knight Riders won the title last season. 

However, after both parties decided to mutually part ways, PBKS bagged Iyer’s services for a whopping $3.1m (INR 26.75 crore) – the second-most expensive player in auction history. 

(With inputs from agencies)