Wasim Jaffer sacked by Punjab Kings ahead of IPL 2024

Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer has called time on his role as batting consultant with Punjab Kings ahead of IPL 2024. Sanjay Bangar who was roped in as the Director of Cricket for the franchise will also now be the batting consultant of the side, as per PTI.

Punjab Kings will be led by Shikhar Dhawan in IPL 2024. The franchise finished eighth on the points table last season winning six games and losing eight. They have consistently finished sixth or below in the last few years of the IPL.

The franchise owners have changed the coaching staff and captains multiple times but nothing has worked for the Kings. They reached the final of the IPL only once in 2014 losing out to Kolkata Knight Rider that year.

Heading into this season they roped in 8 players two of whom were overseas. Punjab placed their bet on Rilee Rossouw and Chris Woakes as they picked their two overseas cricketers.

Harshal Patel (Rs. 11.75 crore), Chris Woakes (Rs. 4.20 crore), Ashutosh Sharma (Rs. 20 lakh), Vishwanath Pratap Singh (Rs. 20 lakh), Shashank Singh (Rs. 20 lakh), Tanay Thyagarajann (Rs. 20 lakh), Prince Choudhary (Rs. 20 lakh), Rilee Rossouw (Rs. 8 crore) were the players they picked in the auction.

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Wasim Jaffer Ends Punjab Kings Stint

While their batting and bowling lineup looks decent, Punjab Kings lacks a reputed Indian spinner in their ranks. They also do not have a specialist overseas spinner. Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar are the two Indian spinners. Both are pretty inexperienced considering that they have not played a whole lot of international cricket. Brar has not even made his international debut. Sikandar Raza with his all-round experience looks to be the spinning all-rounder in the lineup.

Jaffer who joined the Punjab setup as the batting consultant has already vacated his place. There is also huge pressure on Trevor Bayliss to take the team through to the playoffs to get an extension as the head coach of the franchise. Bayliss’s contract will end at the end of this season and his extension will only depend on how the team performs this season.

Punjab Kings To Play Four Games In IPL 2024 First Leg

Bayliss was with KKR when Punjab last made it to the final of the IPL. His best years in the IPL have been with the Knight Riders. Later Bayliss served as head coach of SRH and now with the Punjab Kings.

Punjab Kings will also be playing their final two home games in Dharamsala like last season. The Kings play four games in the first leg of IPL 2024. The IPL governing council released the schedule of the first 21 games of the season. The remaining schedule will be released once the 2024 election dates are out.

The Kings play their first game against Delhi Capitals in Mohali on March 23. They then play RCB on March 25 in Bengaluru. Next, they take on LSG in Lucknow on March 30 and play their final game of the first leg against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on April 4. The Kings are expected to many of their home games in the second phase of IPL 2024 at the newly laid stadium built in Mullanpur, Mohali.

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