Punjab Kings have decided to move on from Trevor Bayliss, their head coach, and Sanjay Bangar, their head of cricket development, for IPL 2024. This decision was made recently by the franchise board, which includes the four co-owners.
Kings Overhaul Their Coaching Staff
As part of their efforts to rebuild their coaching team, Punjab Kings appointed Ricky Ponting as their new head coach earlier this month. The team is making changes to improve after struggling in recent seasons, finishing eighth in 2023 and ninth last season.
Bayliss, who became head coach after IPL 2022, and Bangar, who joined the franchise in December 2023, will both be leaving the team.
Bangar’s Journey with Punjab Kings
Interestingly, this was Bangar’s second time with Punjab Kings. He first worked as head coach from 2014 to 2016. After that, he became India’s assistant coach and later joined Royal Challengers Bangalore as their batting consultant in 2021, eventually becoming their head coach. Bangar rejoined Punjab Kings in December 2023.
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Frequent Coaching Changes
Bayliss had replaced Anil Kumble, the former India captain, who was Kings’ head coach from 2020 to 2022. In the last 10 years, Punjab Kings have gone through several coaches. Before Kumble, the franchise was coached by Sanjay Bangar (2014-16), Virender Sehwag (2017), Brad Hodge (2018), and Mike Hesson (2019).
Ricky Ponting Takes Over
Punjab Kings have now signed Ricky Ponting, the former Australian captain, for a four-year contract (2025-2028). In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Ponting emphasized that the team will no longer settle for average performances. He stated, “The biggest thing I want to achieve with Punjab Kings is to create a new identity. We won’t accept mediocrity or continue to finish near the bottom. People will start talking about this team in a different and more positive way.“
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