Ahead of the 2023 edition of IPL, Punjab Kings are set to sign World Cup-winning coach Trevor Bayliss. The team will appoint the 59-year-old Australian with the expectation that he guides them to the elusive title.
Bayliss is an IPL regular and has most recently coached the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Besides guiding England to their maiden ODI World Cup title in 2019, Bayliss headed the support staff of Kolkata Knight Riders when they won IPL in 2012 and 2014.
Bayliss will replace India veteran Anil Kumble, whose contract was not renewed after the team failed to make the playoffs in his three-year term.
Punjab's only final appearance in IPL history came in 2014 when they lost to KKR.
"The team has decided to go ahead with Trevor who is among the best in the business and has a proven record. The management is hoping that the team goes on to win the title under his guidance," an IPL source told PTI.
The paperwork on Bayliss' signing is expected to be completed soon.
Punjab, a team that could not perform to the optimum level consistently since IPL's inception in 2008, has finished sixth in the last four seasons.
In the most recent IPL, they failed to string two wins in a row in the league stage, effectively leading to their early exit.
Another important decision the management has to make is about captaincy. Mayank Agarwal had taken over from K L Rahul last season but he could not meet the expectations with the bat.
The owners and management have a lot of faith in Agarwal's abilities and he could get another year to lead the side. He and Arshdeep Singh were the only two players Punjab had retained ahead of the 2022 IPL.
(Inputs from PTI)
