The IPL 2025 mega auction is finally here, it will be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and it promises many surprises and fierce bidding wars. One of the biggest talking points is Rishabh Pant, who was recently released by Delhi Capitals.

With his exceptional skills as a wicketkeeper-batsman, Pant is expected to attract huge interest, with the Punjab Kings being seen as the favorites to bid for him, due to their sizeable auction budget.

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New Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting has added to the anticipation. Ponting, who previously worked with Pant during his stay at Delhi Capitals, spoke about the rumors surrounding the star player. Now that Ponting is leading Punjab, fans are eager to see if his connection with Pant will influence the team’s decisions.

“Oh look, we’ve talked about a lot of players at the auction. I mean, you would think that Rishabh will be a target for most teams,” Ponting told Star Sports.

“Certainly those who have kept a big enough purse. “So we went into the auction with the biggest bag, but when you think about it, when you break it down, we were only left with the two players,” he added.

Ponting outlines Punjab Kings’ plans for Pant

Ricky Ponting highlighted that while the Punjab Kings have the biggest auction purse ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, this advantage is temporary. Once the team gets three or four key players, their remaining budget will be similar to other teams. The initial flexibility allows them to focus on setting top priorities early in the auction, but careful planning is still essential to maintain balance.

Ponting also emphasized that the Punjab Kings have considered many players, including Rishabh Pant, but success will depend on sticking to their pre-planned strategy rather than getting carried away with a single target.

The head coach said: “So when we have bought another three or four players, our purse will be the same as everyone else’s again. So it’s not a huge advantage, just the fact that we should probably be able to secure our top three or four picks before the auction.”

“So yes, look, we have talked about Rishabh, we have talked about a lot of players, and now we have to make sure we stick to our strategy,” he added.

Features of the pants in the marquee game with a base price of INR 2 crore

Pant, listed in the marquee set with a base price of INR 2 crore, is set to become one of the most sought-after players. It remains to be seen if the Punjab Kings will make a bold move to secure him, but his signing could be a game-changer for any team.

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