'When we were in the dumps...,' Skipper Iyer speaks on PBK finishing top of IPL 2025 points table

Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer has lauded the camaraderie between him and coach Ricky Ponting as the team ended IPL 2025 regular season at top of the points table. Punjab, under skipper Iyer, finished the season with 19 points from nine wins, one no result and four losses out of 14 games played.

"The camaraderie has been there for the past few years between Ricky and I, he gives me a lot of freedom. He lets me be decisive on the field, all these things have culminated in a great way," Iyer said post-match after their win against Mumbai Indians on May 26.

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"Every individual stepped up at the right time. Starting from game one, we've been in the mindset of wanting to win despite the situation. We've had players putting their hands up when we were in the dumps. Kudos to support staff and management too.

"Ricky has been fantastic with player management, it's important for me to get trust too. That happened with the wins early on. Had conversations with them too. You have to maintain good relationships throughout. I feel the dressing room has been top notch throughout. When you are down in the dumps, it is easy to backstab each other," he added.

Iyer has led from the front in the ongoing season, scoring 514 runs in 14 games - the most for PBKS - at an average of 51 and a strike rate of 172. He has scored five fifties in the season as well.

Iyer has worked Ponting in the past at Delhi Capitals where he played from 2015 to 2021 before being with KKR for three seasons from 2022 onwards. The batter was let go by KKR ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction was bought by PBKS for a record price of INR 27 crore.