The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS) is set to welcome back former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer as their head coach. This decision comes just a day after reports emerged suggesting that the team was actively seeking an Indian coach for the upcoming season.
Jaffer, who previously served as the batting coach for PBKS from 2019 to 2021 and as a batting consultant in 2023, will be stepping into his third stint with the Mohali-based franchise for the 18th edition of the IPL. His previous tenures, however, were marked by a period of underwhelming performance.
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During his last two stints, the franchise struggled with their batting, managing just 9,482 runs in 1,100 overs at a run rate of 8.63. These statistics reflect a less-than-stellar performance compared to other teams in the league during the same period.
Former Indian batter Wasim Jaffer is all set to become the new head coach of IPL franchise Punjab Kings.#WasimJaffer #Cricket #PunjabKings #Coach #Cricketer #HeadCoach #IPLhttps://t.co/E8SB4oMUGg pic.twitter.com/DEB67AypW7
— News18 (@CNNnews18) July 26, 2024
Wasim Jaffer, who has a distinguished career with 31 Test matches for India, faces a significant challenge as he re-enters the Punjab Kings setup. Despite being one of the original eight franchises of the IPL, the team has struggled to make an impact in recent years.
They have failed to reach the playoffs for ten consecutive seasons since their lone appearance in the IPL final in 2014. In that memorable match, the Punjab Kings suffered a narrow defeat by three wickets to the Kolkata Knight Riders at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
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The team’s performance has notably declined following Jaffer’s previous departure. In the last season, PBKS finished in ninth place out of ten teams, only narrowly avoiding the bottom position, which was claimed by the Mumbai Indians. With Jaffer’s return, the franchise will be hoping for a turnaround in their fortunes and a much-needed boost in their quest for IPL success.
