Ponting on Shreyas Iyer: 'He Understands Game Situations Better Than Ever'

Punjab Kings coach Ricky Ponting has praised Shreyas Iyer’s development as a leader and tactician, crediting his increased confidence and experience since captaining Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL title last year. Their reunion at PBKS — after working together at Delhi Capitals from 2019 to 2021 — has proven fruitful, with the team in strong contention for a playoff spot.

"He's a lot more confident in himself now than he was, and that comes with experience," Ponting said after PBKS’ win over CSK. “He’s more mature and understands game situations better than ever before.”

That growth was on display in Chennai, where Iyer smartly deployed Yuzvendra Chahal against MS Dhoni, triggering a collapse with a hat-trick in the 19th over. Iyer also anchored the chase with a composed 72 off 41 balls, shifting gears seamlessly mid-innings.

Ponting noted Iyer’s calmness under pressure, his improved decision-making, and the respect he commands in the dressing room. “He talks to all the players, they love working with him. We’ve built a really good environment here,” he added.

On the technical side, Ponting credited Iyer for self-initiated changes to tackle short-pitched bowling — notably an open stance and better alignment — that have improved his back-foot game. Ravi Shastri echoed this praise, highlighting how the new setup has opened up scoring opportunities on both sides of the wicket.

With PBKS set to play three of their final four games in Dharamsala — despite a poor recent record there — Ponting expressed confidence. “It’s our home ground, and we should know the conditions better than anyone,” he said, citing a pre-season camp that helped Indian players familiarize themselves with the venue.

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