'They treat Chahal and the bus driver the same way': Shashank credits Shreyas & Ponting for 'changing PBKS culture'

Punjab Kings have qualified for the Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs for the first time since 2014, finishing in the top two after a seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. The team will face either Royal Challengers Bengaluru or Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 on May 29 at their home ground in Mullanpur. This marks a significant turnaround for the franchise, which had not reached the knockout stages in over a decade.

Shashank Singh, who was retained by Punjab Kings ahead of the mega auction and has scored 284 runs in the season at a strike rate of 149.47, praised the leadership of captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting. “Day 1, Ricky Ponting and Shreyas both told us… they will treat Yuzvendra Chahal, maybe the most senior player, and our bus driver the same,” he said. “They have shown the same respect to Yuzvendra Chahal and to our bus driver, which says a lot about the team.”

Shashank further stated that Ponting had a significant influence on the dressing room environment. “He has changed the team culture. He has changed our mindset. He has changed our beliefs. So, all those things, the credit has to be to him,” Shashank said. “Building it is a different thing. So, he made sure that he built the culture within the dressing.”

Speaking about Shreyas Iyer’s role, Shashank said, “He gives freedom to everyone — not only me but to everyone in the team. When I say everyone, it’s the 25 of them, plus the support staff, content team, media team, logistics — everyone.” He added that Iyer had always emphasized the importance of caring for and respecting each other in the squad.

Shreyas Iyer became the first captain in IPL history to lead three different teams to the playoffs — Delhi Capitals in 2020, Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024, and Punjab Kings in 2025. The franchise confirmed that Yuzvendra Chahal, who missed the last two league matches due to a finger injury, is expected to be fit for the upcoming Qualifier 1 match.