Punjab Kings (PBKS) have made it clear: they’ll not settle for anything less than a trophy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. Coming into the 18th edition of the league after revamping their coaching and team setup, PBKS CEO Satish Menon vowed that they’ll surprise fans, build a strong core, and hunt for that elusive silverware.
Ponting under the pump?
In a press release, PBKS CEO Satish Menon laid out their plan for the upcoming season before the IPL 2025 mega auction. He stated that their sole purpose would be to win the title and build an ‘extraordinary’ team that will succeed not just in the coming season but in the editions to follow as well. Satish indirectly hinted that the new head coach, Ricky Ponting, will have to prove his worth soon, with the claim that PBKS won’t settle for anything other than ‘silverware’.
“We have a plan in place for adding to the core. You will see a lot more surprises as well. You will see the core group forming and we are confident we will go all out and make a big play this season. This auction will be critical as we go there with maximum purse. We will build on what we have at the moment. It will be an interesting auction, especially for us, as we also have a new coach in Ricky Ponting. He is one of the sharpest minds in cricket. You will see us develop an extraordinary team. Our goal is to go for silverware this year – nothing short of that.”
On their retentions, Prabhsimran & Shashank Singh
“We have seen Prabhsimran develop over the last six years. He is a player that we have put a lot of faith in. We have seen him bloom. He played some fantastic innings last year. We believe he is on the cusp of breaking into the big league. As far as Shashank is concerned, he is known for his batting at multiple positions in the order. He showed his mettle last season. He continues with the same style and passion. That was one of the big reasons why we retained him. He is a gun fielder. And these two players are the best fits for us,” he concluded.
PBKS Retention List for IPL 2025
Retention No. 1 (Rs 5.50 crore): Shashank Singh (uncapped)
Retention No. 2 (Rs 4 crore): Prabhsimran Singh (uncapped)
Remaining Purse: Rs 110.50 crore