Punjab Kings and Trevor Bayliss set to part ways as franchise sets sights on Indian coach ahead of IPL 2025
Published - 24 Jul 2024, 03:29 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:16 AM
After two-time ODI World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting, another Australian is expected to leave his coaching position in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Trevor Bayliss, the head coach of the Punjab Kings (PBKS), could leave the Mohali-based franchise ahead of the Indian Premier League 2025 season.
Punjab Kings failed to advance to the playoffs in this year's T20 tournament. The Mohali-based franchise finished in ninth place in the 10-team points table. The Kings managed to secure just six victories and nine losses in the tournament. The PBKS team last advanced to the playoffs in the tournament in 2014.
Trevor Bayliss To Part Ways With Punjab Kings
Trevor Bayliss' two-year contract with Bollywood actress Preity Zinta's Punjab Kings has ended. According to the latest news reports, the franchise is unlikely to extend Bayliss' contract for next year's T20 tournament.
According to a Cricbuzz report, the Punjab Kings are searching for an Indian coach for the IPL 2025 season. The franchise is considering several options, including Sanjay Bangar for the head coach role. Bangar previously served as the franchise's head coach and is currently the director of cricket development.
The Punjab Kings' board meeting was scheduled for July 22 regarding the head coach role. However, the meeting did not happen as the franchise is considering other names before the mega-auction later this year.
"According to sources, PBKS are on the lookout for an Indian coach to guide the team. Whether they will ultimately choose an Indian coach remains to be seen, but they are believed to be considering several options, with one of them being Sanjay Bangar, who could be among the potential candidates. A decision was to be taken at the board meeting which was scheduled for July 22 but the meeting did not take place. The franchise is believed to have broadened its search ahead of the mega-auction later this year,” a report by Cricbuzz said.
The report added that the franchise has no issues with Trevor Bayliss’s coaching style. However, they are not satisfied with the results in the last two seasons. The Punjab team finished poorly despite having a strong squad. Bayliss took over from legendary spinner Anil Kumble before the 2023 season.
Indian coaches are in high demand in the IPL. Gautam Gambhir and Chandrakant Pandit guided the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the recent season. Ashish Nehra guided the Gujarat Titans (GT) to the title in 2022. Dinesh Karthik joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as batting coach for the upcoming season.
Trevor Bayliss has coached Kolkata Knight Riders, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and Punjab Kings. The 61-year-old also coached the England cricket team. His recent T20 record with various teams has been underwhelming. The PBKS management will review last season's performance before making any final decisions.
Rahul Dravid is attracting attention from several IPL franchises. Ashish Nehra and Vikram Solanki's futures are uncertain with the Gujarat Titans (GT). The Kolkata Knight Riders are expected to select new coaches following the departure of Gautam Gambhir, Abhishek Nayar, and Ryan ten Doeschate to the Indian team.
