Has England Snub Made PBKS Captain Shreyas Iyer 'Hungrier' Before IPL 2025 Final vs RCB? Ricky Ponting Makes Huge Revelation

RCB vs PBKS, IPL 2025: Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer has been in ominous touch throughout the IPL season, but despite his good form, he was not picked by the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) for the upcoming tour of England. Ahead of the IPL 2025 final, will that play at the back of his mind would be interesting to see. PBKS coach Ricky Ponting, who has worked closely with Iyer, claimed that he was ‘gutted’ when the latter was not picked by the BCCI. 

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‘Actually was gutted’

"I actually was gutted...but he's accepted that really well and he's moved on," Ponting said on The ICC Review before the IPL Playoffs.

"He's just got that real hunger in his eyes to do well every time that he plays for us here and wants to win games of cricket and wants to evolve and develop into the best leader and captain that he can be," he added.

Ponting also claimed that Iyer has almost ticked all the boxes that others have done. 

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"Certain other players that have been picked in that (Test) squad have done it on the back of good first-class cricket and good IPL seasons leading up to that selection and Shreyas has done absolutely everything the same as some of those other players," Ponting added further.

RCB vs PBKS - Preview

It is expected to be a mouthwatering contest between two in-form sides, both hungry for their first title. Both sides have met each other on 36 occasions at the IPL stage with both sides winning 18 apiece. But in the 2025 season, RCB have won two out of the three games played.