
Punjab Kings co-coach Brad Haddin and assistant coach James Hopes have stepped down ahead of IPL 2027. Hopes has been appointed head coach of Queensland and the Brisbane Heat, while Haddin will take charge of New South Wales as head coach, Rediff reports.

Their departures follow spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule’s move to the Indian team earlier in 2026. Head coach Ricky Ponting now faces at least three coaching vacancies. Punjab Kings had a disappointing 2026 season, losing six consecutive games after starting with six wins. The franchise has begun searching for replacements before the 2027 auction.
Rediff.com leads with the Australian domestic appointments as the reason for the departures, framing the story as a ‘double blow’ for Punjab Kings, while Kalinga TV leads with the departures as coaching staff changes pending replacement. Rediff adds the context of Punjab Kings' poor IPL 2026 season under Shreyas Iyer, which Kalinga TV omits. Kalinga TV focuses on the challenge for head coach Ricky Ponting to choose replacements, noting the search is underway before the 2027 auction. The uniform element is the exit of Hopes, Haddin and Bahutule, leaving three coaching vacancies. Reform is Ponting's selection of new staff before the auction.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): kalingatv.com (neutral report), rediff.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.