‘I got a message from Ponting, i was…’: PBKS star batter opens up about retention discussion ahead of IPL 2025
Prabhsimran on PBKS retention chat with Ponting
Punjab Kings spent just Rs 9.5 crore ahead of the 2025 IPL season, choosing to retain only two uncapped players. Despite having the option to hold on to big international names like Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, and Liam Livingstone, the franchise opted for a fresh start under newly appointed head coach Ricky Ponting.
Instead of keeping their star international players, Punjab Kings chose a fresh approach under their new head coach Ricky Ponting. They re-signed Shashank Singh for Rs 5.5 crore after he proved himself as a finisher last season. The second player PBKS retained has been part of the team for years, with support from former coach Anil Kumble in 2022 and now from Ponting in 2025. Prabhsimran Singh, was retained for Rs 4 crore.
While speaking to Star Sports alongside Punjab Kings, Prabhsimran shared details of his conversation with former Australian legend Ricky Ponting. He mentioned that as Ponting was being considered for the head coach role at Punjab, he received a call from him, where Ponting expressed that he wanted Prabhsimran to continue his IPL journey with the team.
Prabhsimran also shared that this was only the second time he had spoken to the former Australian captain. The first time was after he scored a century for Punjab against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023, when Ponting, who was Delhi’s head coach then, had appreciated his knock.
“When Punjab was talking about retention, I got a message from Ponting. I was sleeping then. I had gone to play in the Emerging Teams Asia Cup, and it was then that I had a chat with him. He really wanted me on the team because he was still in the conversation for the Punjab Kings head coach role.” he siad
“I was thrilled because he was Delhi’s coach when I scored a 100 against Delhi in the IPL, and we met after the game. He then told me, ‘You have a bright future.’ That was the only time I had a chat with him until that call about retention,” he added