IPL 2025: 'Will treat Chahal and bus driver same way', big revelation from THIS PBKS player

Punjab Kings (PBKS) booked their place in the Qualifier 1 of the ongoing IPL 2025 with a dominating seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in Jaipur on Monday (May 26).

With this win, PBKS ensured a top-two finish, giving them two chances to qualify for the IPL 2025 final.

Following the win, PBKS batter Shashank Singh credited head coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer for steering the team to its first playoffs appearance since 2014. Shreyas, who joined PBKS for a record ₹26.75 crore after being released by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)—whom he had led to the title last season—has made an instant impact.

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Ponting, arriving after a high-profile stint with Delhi Capitals (DC), has teamed up with Shreyas to transform the franchise's culture and mindset. Shashank said that Ponting and Shreyas have fostered an inclusive environment where respect is paramount, regardless of hierarchy.

“From Day 1, Ricky Ponting and Shreyas told us they would treat Yuzvendra Chahal the same as our bus driver. And they’ve lived up to that. It says so much about the team spirit,” Shashank said after the match.

He also lauded Ponting for instilling belief and confidence across the squad. “Ricky has completely changed our team culture, our mindset, and our belief system. The credit goes to him—he’s transformed our perspective on the game. It’s about building respect and care for one another, and while it’s easy to say these things, actually creating that environment is much harder. Ricky made sure that culture was built in the dressing room,” he added.

Shreyas Iyer now stands on the cusp of history, with a chance to become the first captain to win back-to-back IPL titles with different teams.