LUCKNOW, May 25 -- Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer share a strong bond as chief coach and skipper. The former Australia stalwart had always wanted to work with the Indian batter after their time together at Delhi Capitals. Ponting, moving to Punjab Kings, wanted the best leader available to rebuild the team around strong Indian talent and exciting young players. Ponting's faith in Iyer was vindicated as the duo guided PBKS to a runner-up finish in IPL 2025. On Saturday against Lucknow Super Giants, Iyer showed his batting might at a crucial juncture, his first IPL century steering Punjab Kings to a vital win in their last league match and keeping hopes alive for a playoffs berth. (They were, however, eliminated after Rajasthan Royals beat MI on Sunday to go to 16 points and take the final playoffs spot.) Iyer's 101* would have gone down as the defining knock of Punjab Kings' campaign. Chasing 197 at the Ekana Stadium, PBKS recovered from an early wobble with a 140-run third-wicket stand between Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh. The captain's 51-ball knock had 11 fours and five sixes, the last of them sealing victory. The seven-wicket win snapped a six-match losing run that left PBKS on the verge of elimination. Iyer's batting was less about aesthetics and more about temperament and timing. He accelerated only after the run rate was tamed, then shifting to a calculated assault. In the first half of IPL 2026, Iyer was in rich form. In his first six innings, he hit three fifties, aggregating 279 runs at an average of 46.5. And PBKS went unbeaten in their first seven games, six wins and one abandoned game due to rain. However, the next six games saw Iyer's batting slump as Punjab Kings lost them all. There was just one half-century from Iyer as he made only 118 runs at an average of 19.66. His century against LSG then vindicated his preparedness to carry the team in a must-win situation. Iyer had proved his leadership two years ago, guiding Kolkata Knight Riders to the title. Last year, he helped steer PBKS to the IPL final, where they lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He also captained Delhi Capitals to the IPL 2020 final, the feat of leading three teams to the IPL final setting him apart from contemporaries. As skipper of PBKS, he has balanced pragmatic bowling changes with a willingness to rotate his allrounders and a spin-heavy attack, often backing youngsters in high-pressure situations. His decision-making during the chase against LSG-letting Prabhsimran take on the bowling first up as he played the anchor role before gradually stepping up scoring-reflected the 31-year-old's maturity. What has stood out this season is how Iyer weathered criticism of his leadership after a poor midseason run and then delivered his first IPL century to halt the losing streak. His blend of stroke play and calm leadership has enhanced his status. As a batter, he can be a modern-day accumulator who can also seize the match with a six. Iyer, who leads the PBKS batting chart with 498 runs (avg 55.33), was "ecstatic" that his maiden IPL hundred "came at the right time". "It's a surreal feeling, especially when you finish off the game and you score a century," Iyer said at the presentation. "All the batters, they dream of that, and today was one of those days where I felt super from within. I was in a great mind space," he said. "I knew what I wanted, I knew how the wicket was playing, kind of reading all this situation helped me to score. Also, the partnership was crucial. That creates the momentum in the game, and just to win it from there, I'm elated." Ponting hailed Iyer's maiden IPL ton. "We did it the hard way. We were sloppy in the field again, and gave them 20 more runs than they should have got. Pretty clinical chase, the captain has done that often before. It's his first IPL century and we'll celebrate that tonight," he told the official broadcaster after the match. "He (Iyer) is a brilliant guy, a very mature player, mature leader, keeps his emotions in check, the respect he has is second to none. I'm delighted to work with him and delighted with the season he has had," he said. "Prabh is a terrific player, only in the last couple of years has he realised how good he can be at the top of the order."...