Cricket

Punjab Kings, the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, has announced a major shake-up in its coaching staff ahead of the 2024 season. Trevor Bayliss, the head coach, and Sanjay Bangar, the head of cricket development, have both been released from their roles.The move comes as part of a wider restructuring of the Kings' coaching setup, with former Australian captain Ricky Ponting recently appointed as the new head coach. Bayliss had taken over as head coach after the 2022 IPL season, while Bangar joined the franchise in December 2023.Despite the changes, the Kings have yet to taste IPL success, finishing seventh in 2023 and ninth last season. The franchise is hoping that the new coaching team, led by Ponting, can help them break their title drought.Bayliss, a former England coach, has a wealth of experience in T20 cricket, having led the Sydney Sixers to two Big Bash League titles. Bangar, on the other hand, is a former India international who has served as the head coach of the Indian national team and the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL.The Kings' decision to part ways with Bayliss and Bangar is a sign of their determination to improve their performance in the IPL. With Ponting at the helm, the franchise will be hoping to challenge for the title in 2024.

Punjab Kings (PBKS), the perennial underachievers of the Indian Premier League (IPL), are poised to appoint former India batter Wasim Jaffer as their new head coach for the upcoming season. Jaffer, who previously served as PBKS' batting consultant and batting coach, will succeed Trevor Bayliss, whose two-year contract expired.Jaffer's appointment marks his third stint with the Punjab franchise. He was released as the batting consultant ahead of the 2023 IPL season. The 46-year-old, who played 31 Tests and 2 ODIs for India, was the batting coach of PBKS from 2019-2021.PBKS, who have not reached the playoffs since 2014, endured a disappointing IPL 2023 campaign, finishing ninth in the points table. Despite recording the highest successful run-chase in T20 cricket earlier this year, chasing down 262 at the Eden Gardens to beat Kolkata Knight Riders, the team struggled for consistency.Bayliss, a World Cup-winning coach who also guided Kolkata Knight Riders to two IPL trophies, failed to transform PBKS into a consistent outfit. His three-year tenure ended with the team finishing in the bottom half of the table.Jaffer's appointment is expected to bring a fresh approach to the franchise. His experience as a player and coach, coupled with his knowledge of the IPL, could prove invaluable for PBKS.Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to meet with all 10 IPL teams on July 31 to discuss the number of retentions teams can make and the Right to Match (RTM) options ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) is reportedly set to part ways with head coach Trevor Bayliss, whose two-year contract has expired. The Australian coach took over from Anil Kumble ahead of the 2023 IPL season, but PBKS's disappointing performances under his guidance have prompted the franchise to seek an Indian replacement.Bayliss's tenure at PBKS has been marked by underwhelming results, with the team finishing eighth and ninth in the 2023 and 2024 IPL seasons, respectively. Despite the franchise's lack of complaints about Bayliss's coaching style, the team's poor performance has ultimately led to his potential ouster.The move to replace Bayliss with an Indian coach aligns with a recent trend in the IPL, where Indian coaches and mentors have achieved notable success with various franchises. PBKS is reportedly considering several options, including Sanjay Bangar, as Bayliss's successor.Bayliss's departure from PBKS would follow the recent exit of Ricky Ponting as head coach of Delhi Capitals (DC). Ponting's seven-year tenure at DC ended without an IPL title, and the franchise is now considering Sourav Ganguly, their current team director, as a potential replacement.The coaching carousel in the IPL continues to spin, with franchises seeking to find the right combination of leadership and strategy to achieve success in the highly competitive tournament. PBKS's decision to part ways with Bayliss and pursue an Indian coach is a reflection of the evolving landscape of the IPL, where Indian coaches are increasingly being recognized for their abilities.

Trevor Bayliss, the former England coach who guided the team to the 2019 ODI World Cup triumph, has been handed a one-year contract extension by Sydney Thunder. The decision comes despite the club's disappointing performance last season, where they finished last in the BBL standings with only one win.Bayliss, who has been at the helm of Thunder for the past three seasons, expressed his determination to turn things around. "I've been here three years and there is probably a little bit of unfinished business," he said. "We've been working towards something over the last few years. With that and some of the recruitment we've done this year, we should be in a good position to win a number of games. Our ambition should be to win the tournament."Thunder have also secured a deal to play four games at Sydney Showground next summer, an increase from the three they played last season. This move is part of the club's commitment to remain in western Sydney, despite criticism of the Showground wicket from former players like Ricky Ponting."I'm a western Sydney guy, I'm still involved with the Penrith club out here in the west of Sydney, and there's a lot of interest in Sydney Thunder," Bayliss said. "There are always people going to the games from out this way and asking questions about the club. Through Thunder being part of western Sydney and closer to where they live, rather than having to go to the SCG they can get along to a Thunder match and watch their own team play high-class cricket."Thunder have already made a significant player signing ahead of next season, acquiring Wes Agar from Adelaide Strikers in a trade deal. The club's fans will also be eagerly awaiting news on the future of David Warner, whose contract expires at the end of the 2023-24 season.