Punjab Kings (PBKS) will have to rebuild key parts of their coaching staff after James Hopes and Brad Haddin stepped down from their respective roles as fast-bowling coach and fielding coach, according to Cricinfo.The departures were expected, with both coaches taking up new assignments in Australian domestic cricket. Hopes has recently been appointed head coach of Queensland and the Brisbane Heat, while Haddin has taken charge as head coach of New South Wales.Their exits leave PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting with two important vacancies to fill ahead of the next IPL season. The franchise had already lost spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule, who served in that role during IPL 2026 before moving to the Indian men’s team in the same capacity.PBKS had a campaign of contrasting halves in IPL 2026. Led by captain Shreyas Iyer and Ponting, the team made an exceptional start, winning their first six matches and staying at the top of the points table for nearly a month.Punjab’s unbeaten run eventually stretched to seven matches, including one no-result, leaving them with 13 points and firmly in playoff contention midway through the season.However, their fortunes changed dramatically in the second half. Tactical decisions with both bat and ball, along with missed catches, contributed to a sharp decline in form as PBKS suffered six consecutive defeats.They eventually ended the losing streak with a victory over Lucknow Super Giants, but the late revival was not enough to keep their playoff hopes alive.PBKS finished the season with 15 points and ended up fifth in the standings, one point behind Rajasthan Royals. RR secured the fourth and final playoff spot with 16 points after defeating Mumbai Indians.The result was a disappointing finish for a side that had entered the season as fan favourites following their runners-up finish in IPL 2025. Punjab’s strong start had raised expectations, but their second-half collapse ultimately cost them a place in the playoffs.
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