Punjab Kings face double coaching blow as Hopes and Haddin leave for BBL
Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings require replacements for their fast-bowling and fielding coaches after James Hopes and Brad Haddin joined Australian domestic cricket.
Shreyas Iyer's Punjab Kings are dealing with a significant coaching crisis after losing two key members of their support staff. Fast-bowling coach James Hopes and fielding coach Brad Haddin have both departed to take up new roles in Australian domestic cricket.
This double blow compounds earlier support staff departures for the franchise. The exits of Hopes and Haddin follow Sairaj Bahutule leaving the setup to join the Indian men's team.
The franchise now faces the urgent task of finding suitable replacements ahead of upcoming commitments. Management must rebuild their backroom team to ensure stability within the squad.
These personnel changes arrive following a challenging campaign trajectory for the team. After starting IPL 2026 on a strong note, Punjab Kings suffered a sharp decline in form and ultimately missed out on playoff qualification.