IPL 2024

Three franchises to play Indian T20 League 2023 with new coaching directors- Reports

Punjab franchise are not looking to renew Anil Kumble's contract and the Hyderabad team are also planning to release Tom Moody.

Aug 21, 2022 7:59 pm

The 16th installment of the Indian T20 League is still more than six months away but the franchises seem to have started their preparation for the tournament. The Kolkata team have already made their move with the signing of Chandrakant Pandit as their new head coach. Punjab franchise are not looking to renew Anil Kumble’s contract and the Hyderabad team are also planning to release Tom Moody from the head coach’s role.

Kolkata’s move of bringing a new coach was a forced one. The two-time champions were happy with Brendon McCullum as a coach but the former Kiwi player decided to take over the role of the England Test team’s head coach. This led to Kolkata seeking other options. The selection of Chandrakant Pandit might seem an interesting move for a franchise that has previously never had an Indian head coach.

The Punjab team are looking to part ways with their coach Kumble. The former Indian leg-spinner was at the helm for three years but was not able to guide his team to playoffs even once. The team won just 19 games out of 42 games played under his rein. This seems to have prompted the franchise to look at other options.

Punjab are known to have approached former England captain Eoin Morgan and coach Trevor Bayliss for the coach’s role. They are also open to an Indian being in charge. Trevor Bayliss is a household name when it comes to coaching. Bayliss was part of Kolkata’s title-winning campaign in the year 2012 and 2014.

He was at the helm when the England team won the 50-over World Cup for the first time. Morgan’s name was not on the expected lines as he has never coached any side. The former England skipper is among the best leaders in the limited-overs game. The world-cup-winning captain has also led the Kolkata franchise to the finals of the Indian T20 League in 2021.

The Hyderabad franchise after having not made it to the playoffs for two years in a row are also looking at options to replace Tom Moody. Hyderabad finished eighth in the 2022 season and were the wooden spoon holders in the 2021 edition of the Indian T20 League. They have kept matters private, but they are also open to bringing in a new coach at Hyderabad. As of now, they have not revealed anything on this matter.