Ponting convinced foreign players to stay back: PBKS CEO Satish Menon

With most of their core players still in the country, Punjab Kings are now well-positioned to resume their IPL campaign strongly

As a tense ceasefire came into effect between India and Pakistan, Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting made a remarkable last-minute decision that may have saved his team’s IPL campaign. With rising fears of an all-out conflict, the Australian legend had already boarded a Qantas flight bound for home. But upon hearing news of the ceasefire, Ponting disembarked, choosing to stay back in Delhi. His decision didn’t just show courage—it helped calm nerves within a shaken squad according to a report from PTI. Several overseas players had begun exiting India amid escalating tensions. However, Ponting’s leadership and motivational efforts convinced them to return, giving Punjab Kings a full roster as the IPL prepares to resume. The franchise, already on the brink of its first playoff berth in a decade, now carries renewed belief. 

 

A Defining Leadership Moment 

According to Punjab Kings CEO Satish Menon, Ponting’s actions revealed his character. He noted that the coach voluntarily stayed behind in Delhi and gave a stirring team talk that encouraged foreign players to come back. Menon said, “Only someone like Ricky could have pulled that off.”

 

Franchise officials even had to scramble to remove Ponting’s luggage from the flight, showcasing how last-minute and committed the decision was.

 

Foreign Players Rattled by Uncertainty 

An internal team source shared that the foreign contingent, led by Marcus Stoinis, was deeply unsettled by the volatile situation. Alongside Stoinis, fellow Australians Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, and Xavier Bartlett had departed from Dharamsala after the May 8 game was abandoned. Marco Jansen (South Africa) and Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan) temporarily took shelter in Dubai.

 

Ponting, however, managed to convince most of them to return, calming nerves and rekindling the team’s sense of purpose.

 

IPL Resumption Brings Hope 

With the IPL’s return on the horizon, Punjab Kings are now well-positioned—most players are back in India and ready. The team’s dominant start in the interrupted match against Delhi Capitals (122/1 in 10.1 overs) will be picked up from where it left off at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue and date.

 

A New Era, A New Belief 

This season marks the beginning of a new chapter under captain Shreyas Iyer and coach Ricky Ponting. With their leadership tested under crisis and their squad galvanized, Punjab Kings now find themselves on the verge of breaking a 10-year playoff drought. The franchise senses something special could be brewing.