Punjab Kings have confirmed the departure of fast-bowling coach James Hopes and fielding coach Brad Haddin from their support staff ahead of IPL 2027. Spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule has also left the franchise, making it a triple exit from the backroom team as of October 8, 2026.
Hopes has been appointed head coach of Queensland and the Brisbane Heat, returning to Australian domestic cricket in a senior leadership role. Haddin, meanwhile, will lead New South Wales as their new head coach. Bahutule, who served as Punjab Kings’ spin-bowling coach during IPL 2026, has been appointed to the equivalent specialist position within the Indian men’s setup, a notable step up from franchise cricket.
Punjab Kings finished fifth in IPL 2026 with 15 points, missing the playoffs by a single point. The franchise had reached the IPL 2025 final, where they fell to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the title clash.
What roles did Hopes and Haddin hold at Punjab Kings?
Hopes served as fast-bowling coach at Punjab Kings. Prior to joining the franchise, he was part of Ricky Ponting‘s coaching staff at Delhi Capitals, giving him considerable experience within the IPL coaching circuit. His appointment to lead Queensland and the Brisbane Heat marks a significant shift into head coaching at the domestic level in Australia, where he will oversee both the state side and their Big Bash League franchise.
Haddin has been a part of the Punjab Kings backroom since 2022, when he joined as fielding coach during Trevor Bayliss’ tenure as head coach. He continued in that role through subsequent seasons, including after Ponting took charge as head coach ahead of IPL 2025. Over those years, Haddin built a reputation as a meticulous fielding specialist within the IPL environment. His appointment to lead New South Wales represents a return to Australian state cricket in a top coaching capacity, reuniting him with the state where he made his name as one of Australia’s finest wicketkeepers.
What does this mean for Punjab Kings ahead of IPL 2027?
The simultaneous departure of three specialist coaches leaves Punjab Kings with clear vacancies to fill before IPL 2027 gets under way. The franchise must now identify a new fast-bowling coach, a fielding coach and a spin-bowling coach as part of a substantial backroom rebuild ahead of the next season.
Punjab Kings’ IPL 2026 campaign ended in frustration despite a competitive showing across the season. Finishing fifth with 15 points, they were edged out of the playoffs by the narrowest of margins. The franchise has reached the IPL final twice in recent memory, losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025 and to Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2014 final, underlining the ambition that will drive their search for quality replacements.
