Brad Haddin, James Hopes leave Punjab Kings coaching staff

James Hopes and Brad Haddin have left Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) coaching staff ahead of the Indian Premier League 2027 (IPL 2027) auction. Hopes served as the bowling coach of PBKS while Haddin held the position of fielding coach in the team.

The duo was set to leave their roles, with Hopes having been named head coach of Queensland and Brisbane Heat, while Haddin took charge as head coach of New South Wales.

Following their departure, Punjab Kings have major gaps to fill in their coaching staff, with only head coach Ricky Ponting holding his position. Sairaj Bahutule, who served as spin-bowling coach in IPL 2026, has also taken the same role with India's men's team.

Haddin and Ponting previously worked together in the Delhi Capitals (DC) support staff and also spent two seasons together at PBKS. Haddin had been part of the PBKS’ support staff since 2022, during Trevor Bayliss' tenure as head coach.

Both Hopes and Haddin are currently involved in the Sheffield Shield, with Queensland taking on Western Australia in Perth and New South Wales meeting Tasmania in Sydney.

PBKS mercurial campaign in 2026

PBKS suffered a first-stage exit in the IPL 2026 after they failed to qualify for the playoffs. The Shreyas Iyer-led side was unbeaten in their first seven matches, having won six and one washout. However, they lost their way after that, winning just one out of the last seven matches and missing out on a playoff spot.

Notably, PBKS are still searching for their maiden IPL title, having lost twice in the final. They finished runner-up in 2014 and 2025, losing to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), respectively.