Iyer, the IPL 2024 winning captain for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), was acquired by PBKS in last year\u2019s mega auction for a whopping Rs 26.75 crore. PBKS\u2019 move to break the bank for Iyer has paid off as the side has secured a top-two finish and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2014.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"From the start, ever since I was picked in the auction, my desire has been clear \u2014 Punjab hasn\u2019t won the trophy yet, and my goal is to help the team lift it for the first time. I want to make the fans proud and give them a reason to celebrate \u2014 because in the end, we all want to see that iconic Punjabi celebration,\" said Iyer on Star Sports.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Under the captaincy of Iyer and the guidance of head coach Ricky Ponting, PBKS have reinvented its approach. Iyer and coach Ponting had worked together at Delhi Capitals previously, where they managed to enter the playoffs in the 2019 season, before becoming runners-up in the 2020 edition. Now reunited at the PBKS set-up, the Iyer-Ponting partnership has resurrected the side\u2019s fortunes and have their eyes set on a maiden IPL title.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ponting reflected on the culture shift he\u2019s driving within the team and the collective hunger to achieve more this season, saying, \"When I first took the job, the one thing I told the owners was \u2014 things are going to be different. But saying that is one thing, getting the players to buy in is another. They're the ones who actually bring change, not me. I can share ideas, create a culture, but we all have to be in it together. That\u2019s been my message from day one \u2014 from our baggage guys to our captain \u2014 we\u2019re all on the same page, working toward the same goal.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"It feels like the boys have bought into that, and they\u2019re enjoying themselves. You see it around the team hotel and in the team room \u2014 there\u2019s a lot of fun and energy. But we need to keep enjoying it and stay focused. There are still a few weeks left in the tournament. We\u2019ve played good cricket, but we haven\u2019t achieved anything yet. There\u2019s still a lot more to accomplish as a team,\" he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ponting reflected on the culture shift he\u2019s driving within the team and the collective hunger to achieve more this season, saying, \"When I first took the job, the one thing I told the owners was \u2014 things are going to be different. But saying that is one thing, getting the players to buy in is another. They're the ones who actually bring change, not me. I can share ideas, create a culture, but we all have to be in it together. That\u2019s been my message from day one \u2014 from our baggage guys to our captain \u2014 we\u2019re all on the same page, working toward the same goal.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Also Read: <\/b> LIVE Cricket Score<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n