Punjab Kings Lose Two Key Coaches Simultaneously

Punjab Kings’ major coaches are walking out the door. Can Ricky Ponting recover from this disaster?

Punjab Kings’ position

A team without its coaches at the start of a season faces a certain doom. Punjab Kings (PBKS) are currently in this exact position, having lost two key coaches. The head coach Ricky Ponting, finds himself at an impasse, as events unfold in a manner no sports fan could have predicted. We take a look at the situation and what it means for PBKS.

Who have PBKS lost?

Two coaches have left PBKS, namely:

• James Hopes: the fast-bowling coach
• Brad Haddin: the fielding coach

This isn’t the first time this season that PBKS have lost a coach, with spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule leaving to join the Indian men’s national team staff.

Thus, Ponting has seen his fast-bowling, spin-bowling and fielding coaches walk out the door. A cricket team that loses its opening bowlers and its best fielders suffers a huge setback – and this is precisely the case of PBKS.

Where are they going?

Both coaches have left to take up positions in Australia, which makes sense given the timing of the year.

• James Hopes will be the head coach of the Queensland and Brisbane Heat franchise.
• Brad Haddin will be the head coach of New South Wales.

There’s a reason why Hopes and Haddin left. An IPL coaching job is a short-term contract, whereas a state coaching job is a full-time position.

Moreover, as head coach, they get to enjoy the stature of a senior coach, rather than being an assistant coach in the IPL. For most coaches, this would be an honour, and Hopes and Haddin accepted the offer.

We’ll discuss this further down the post, but this loss reflects a growing trend of overseas coaches leaving for better opportunities.

Why is this important?

The loss of three coaches, especially the bowling and fielding coaches, is a huge setback for PBKS. Last season, they made it to the IPL 2025 final, and started this season with six straight victories.

But then, the wheels came off, and PBKS lost six of their last seven matches, with bowling and fielding errors playing a big part.

With their bowling and fielding coaches gone, and the spin-bowling coach also leaving, Ponting finds himself in a spot where he has to deal with the off-field issues while fixing a disastrous on-field slump.

He has to fix these problems as soon as possible, as the next stage of the IPL – the player retention period and auction – begins. This is the time when teams retain players they want, and buy new players from the pool of those not retained.

This is an important time for PBKS, where the new bowling coach can advise on who to retain or buy, based on his experience.

Therefore, the faster PBKS announces the replacement coaches, the better it would be for the team.

What should Ricky Ponting do now?

Ponting has two main options to return PBKS to glory and pick his staff wisely.

Option one is to hire Indian coaches. There are many brilliant coaches in the Indian domestic circuit who know the game, the players, and the conditions better than anyone else. They are also less likely to go away midway through the season, as they have regular jobs with the Indian domestic teams.

The second option is to hire from foreign sources. Ponting has been around the block a few times and has plenty of contacts with foreign coaches. He can use his contacts to get the best men (or women) for the job.

Each option has its pros and cons, which we’ll discuss below:

• Indian coaches: easy to hire, and they know local talent.
• Foreign coaches: better techniques, but can leave midway through the season.

A combination of both might be the solution to PBKS’ problems.

The Final Word

The situation isn’t as bad as it seems, but it is still worrying. Losing three coaches is one thing, but losing them all at once is a disaster for any team.

And yet, disaster often brings with it new opportunities. Ponting now has the chance to rebuild the support staff around him, to make sure he has the best men on his team.

More importantly, he has the chance to correct the mistakes of the 2026 season and build a new team that will go far in the 2027 season.

So, what do you think about this development?