Punjab Kings are a transformed unit under captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting. Not only have they made the playoffs for the first time since 2014, they have also confirmed a top-two position in the standings.

Shreyas, last season's IPL-winning captain, had been surprisingly released by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the auction this season. He was picked up by Punjab Kings for Rs 26.75 crore.

Having become the first player to lead three different teams into the play-offs, Shreyas's successful working formula with Ponting has now extended beyond Delhi Capitals.

Ponting had assembled an almost new-look unit with several uncapped players getting a look-in. The head coach has moulded these youngsters into a standout side with his attacking approach for fearless cricket.

Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh have formed a formidable pair at the top and, in Josh Inglis and Shreyas, Punjab Kings have had a solid middle order. Overall, their planning and execution have stood out.

“Ricky has been fantastic with player management. And for me, it’s important to gain the trust of each and every individual. That happened initially by winning the matches. And the more interactions you have with the players, the more confidence they get,” Shreyas said.

Speaking of his camaraderie with Ponting, Shreyas said: “He just gives me that freedom to go out there and express myself, especially being decisive on the field. I tell him that ‘you do the thinking outside, let me go and execute things on the field’.

"So yeah, all these things have culminated in a great way and I’m kind of ecstatic that everything is working.”

It showed in the way the Punjab Kings captain sacrificed his No.3 slot to Inglis in their match against Mumbai Indians on Monday. The wicketkeeper-batter struck a vital 42-ball 73, setting the platform for their run-chase alongside Priyansh.

But what has brought about this change in fortunes?

"Personally, I feel that every individual stepped up at the right time," Shreyas said. "Starting from game one, we've been in that mindset that we have to win irrespective of whatever situation we've been provided. When we're down in the dumps, someone will put their hand up and say, 'okay, I'm going to win the game from here'. That has been happening."

This mentality has spread like wildfire in the team ranks. But Ponting is not satisfied yet.

"I'm obviously very pleased for the group," Ponting told the broadcasters. "It's a lot of hard work that goes into being able to achieve something like this as a team. I think it's pretty obvious to see that this is a really talented team where all are on the same page and heading in the same direction.

"I mean, yeah, it's a great achievement till now, but really, if you look back, we haven't achieved anything yet. That's the one thing I've been saying to the players since the moment we qualified.

"The vision for me was always to finish in the top two, and we've got there now. It's a really happy group and we've enjoyed our time in each other's company for the last ten weeks, but we've got another week to go yet."

And as Ponting reminded the group, "the real serious stuff starts now".