JAIPUR, INDIA – MAY 26: Vijaykumar Vyshak of Punjab Kings celebrates the wicket of N. Tilak Varma of Mumbai Indians during the 2025 IPL match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium on May 26, 2025, in Jaipur, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh revealed the culture coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer have developed in the team in this year’s IPL.Punjab Kings defeated Mumbai Indians by seven wickets with nine balls to spare to go top of the IPL 2025 points table. The win also sealed Punjab Kings’ spot in the top two.“From Day 1, Ricky and Shreyas both told us. They will treat Yuzvendra Chahal, maybe the most senior player, and our bus driver the same. I mean, this is something they have maintained. They have given the same respect to Yuzi Chahal and they have given the same respect to our bus driver. So, this says a lot about the team,” he told reporters in Jaipur.Shashank, who has had a great season batting at positions 5 and 6 for Punjab, showered praise on coach Ricky Ponting.“By far, the best team coach I have ever played under,” he said.“I have mentioned two names before: Brian Lara, sir, and now I am mentioning Ricky Ponting, sir.“Because he has changed the team culture. He has changed our mindset. He has changed our belief. So, all those things, the credit has to go to him. Because, obviously, he is the one who changed our perspective towards the game.“Culture, what I meant is caring about each other. Respecting each other. I mean, it’s very easy to say all these things. Obviously, you need to do this, you need to do that. But again, building it is a different thing. So, he made sure that he built it,” he said.Shashank also credited his old friend Shreyas for giving freedom to everyone in the team.“Shreyas is a very dear friend. I have known him for the past 10-15 years. But playing under him, with him being the captain, it was the best thing that has happened to me, to be very honest.Who’s that IPL player?“I mean, the way he gives freedom to everyone, not only me, but to everyone in the team. And when I say everyone, it’s the 25 of them, plus the support staff, plus the people who are in the content team, media team, logistics, everyone. The way he gives them the freedom is something very appreciable about him.“And the way he has developed a culture in the Punjab Kings side. Obviously, we love each other, we care for each other. That was the main motto of Ricky sir and Shreyas from day one, when we had the meeting, that we need to maintain a culture.“We need to care for each other. And obviously, results will take care of themselves,” he said.
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