Big Blow For Punjab Kings As Two Australian Support Staff Members Part Ways

Australian coaches James Hopes and Brad Haddin have moved on from IPL franchise Punjab Kings following Sairaj Bahutule's exit, IANS has learnt. Hopes served as the fast-bowling coach of the Ricky Ponting-led support staff, while Haddin was the fielding coach with the Kings. The two have landed jobs in state teams in Australia, and PBKS will now have to find three replacements before the next season after Bahutule also left his spin-bowling coach role to join the Indian team as spin coach under Gautam Gambhir.

"Yes, Haddin and Hopes have moved on from Punjab Kings. After IPL 2026, they joined local state teams in Australia as head coaches. Hopes has taken over as Queensland head coach and will hold the same position in BBL side Brisbane Heat. Haddin, meanwhile, has taken over as NSW men's head coach and could get a BBL coaching role," an IPL source told IANS.

Meanwhile, the source added that the franchise will hunt for the coaches and a decision will be taken before the auction takes place in December. "A call on three new PBKS coaches is expected to come before the IPL auction happens in December. They are looking at one Indian and two overseas coaches to complete their support staff for IPL 2027," it added.

Hopes joined the PBKS set-up in late 2024 after Ponting was roped in as head coach. He was in Ponting's backroom staff in Delhi Capitals too. Meanwhile, Haddin was retained by the Kings when their support staff was changed.

PBKS underwent a major coaching overhaul ahead of IPL 2025 as Ponting was appointed as the head coach, taking over from Trevor Bayliss. Hopes replaced Charl Langeveldt as the fast-bowling coach, while Bahutule was named the spin-bowling coach in place of Sunil Joshi, who went on to take up the role of spin-bowling coach at the BCCI CoE.

Trevor Gonsalves was also retained in his assistant bowling coach role.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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