Ricky Ponting, the head coach of Punjab Kings, will not be attending the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16 due to his commitments for Ashes commentary with Seven Network in Australia. In his absence, Shreyas Iyer, the captain of PBKS, is expected to lead the team at the auction. PBKS has included Iyer’s name in the list of representatives for the auction, as per BCCI guidelines. The maximum number of team members allowed inside the auction hall is eight, with an additional six permitted outside.
Despite Ponting’s absence, Australia’s assistant coach Daniel Vettori will be present at the auction in Abu Dhabi. Vettori, the head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, has received permission from Cricket Australia to attend the auction. Former Australian head coach Justin Langer and Tom Moody will also be flying from Australia for the auction.
In the past, Gautam Gambhir and Rishabh Pant have led their respective teams at the IPL auction. The auction is set to take place next week, with various team officials and representatives expected to be present. Stay tuned for more updates on the IPL 2026 auction.
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