Punjab Kings have suffered two changes to their coaching staff, with James Hopes and Brad Haddin stepping down from their respective roles in the IPL franchise.

Hopes was the team’s fast-bowling coach, while Haddin worked as the fielding coach. Their exits were expected after both secured major coaching assignments in Australian domestic cricket.

Hopes, Haddin Take Up New Roles

Hopes has recently been named the head coach of Queensland and the Brisbane Heat, while former Australia wicketkeeper Haddin has taken charge of New South Wales.

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Their departures mean Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting will now have two important positions to fill ahead of the next IPL season.

PBKS have also lost spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule. He worked with the franchise during IPL 2026 but has since moved to the Indian men’s team, where he will take up a similar role.

Punjab Kings’ IPL 2026 Campaign

The coaching changes come after a disappointing end to Punjab Kings’ IPL 2026 season.

Shreyas Iyer-led side made an excellent start to the tournament. PBKS won their first six matches and remained at the top of the points table for almost a month.

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They also went unbeaten for seven matches, including one game that ended without a result, and collected 13 points during their impressive run.

However, their campaign took a sharp turn in the second half of the season.

PBKS Collapse In Second Half

Punjab Kings struggled to maintain their early momentum and went through a six-match losing streak. However, they failed to carry the momentum as the Punjab-based franchise lost seven consecutive matches after that. 

PBKS finished the season with 15 points and failed to seal their berth for the playoffs. 

Rajasthan Royals Beat PBKS To Playoffs

Punjab Kings had entered the season with plenty of support after finishing runners-up in IPL 2025. However, they ended IPL 2026 in fifth place.

Rajasthan Royals claimed the final playoff spot after beating Mumbai Indians and moving to 16 points, one ahead of PBKS.

The Punjab franchise will now have to regroup ahead of the next season, with Ponting facing the task of rebuilding his coaching staff after the departures of Hopes, Haddin and Bahutule.