Punjab Kings looks set to appoint former Indian opening batsman Wasim Jaffer as their new head coach for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League in 2024. Jaffer would be replacing Trevor Bayliss, whose two-year contract with the franchise came to an end after the 2023 season.
Sources have indicated Jaffer, who has extensive experience with the Punjab-based franchise, will return to take up the top coaching role. He previously served as their batting coach from 2019 to 2021 but decided to step away before the 2022 auction. However, it now appears Jaffer will be back with Punjab Kings and tasked with trying to turn around their fortunes.
As onethat of the inaugural teams in the IPL, Punjab Kings have endured a decade-long wait to reach the playoffs, last making the final stage of the tournament back in 2014 where they finished as runners-up. The 2023 season ended in similar disappointment, with the team mustering just 5 wins from 14 matches to place 9th in the standings. Inconsistency remained their bane as some outstanding performances were offset by surprising defeats.
Jaffer’s in-depth knowledge of the franchise and longstanding experience in Indian cricket should serve him well as he aims to solve PBKS’ long-running issues. The former Test opener will hope to instill greater consistency and lead the team into the knockout rounds for the first time since 2014. It promises to be an important season for both Jaffer and Punjab Kings as they seek to breakthrough at last in IPL 2024.
