Punjab Kings decide to part ways with Anil Kumble as the search for a new head coach goes on

Punjab Kings have to decided to let go former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble and will not be renewing his contract, according to ESPNCricinfo. The franchise is currently looking for a new head coach to take charge of the team in IPL 2023 and an official announcement along the same lines is expected soon.

The decision to part ways with Kumble was taken by the PBKS board of directors comprising multiple owners, including Bollywood star Preity Zinta, industrialists Mohit Burman, Ness Wadia and Karan Paul as well as the team’s chief executive office Satish Menon.

The former Indian captain had joined Punjab Kings in 2020 and managed the side for three seasons. In all the three years, however, the side finished in the lower half of the IPL table and couldn’t make significant inroads. They had finished fifth in both 2020 and 2021 and then ended sixth in 2022 when the IPL was extended to a 10-team tournament.

When he was appointed, Kumble was the fifth coach in as many seasons for Punjab Kings after Sanjay Bangar (2014-16), Virender Sehwag (2017), Brad Hodge (2018), and Mike Hesson (2019). Kumble has also previously served as a mentor for both Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore, before taking over the role of head coach for Team India in 2016.

It goes without saying that numbers from the former spin wizard’s tenure with PBKS as head coach are quite underwhelming and leaves a lot left to be desired. Taking the charge of the team in 42 games over the course of three seasons, he won 18, lost 22, and tied two matches. Only Sunrisers Hyderabad have a worse win-loss ratio than PBKS since the beginning of IPL 2020 when Kumble took over.

Punjab Kings – earlier known as Kings XI Punjab – are one of the original eight franchises who have been playing in the Indian Premier League since the inaugural season in 2008. However, despite that, they have never won a trophy.

In fact, they have made it to the playoffs only twice before, including their first and till date, only appearance in the final in IPL 2014. On that occasions, however, they ended up losing to Kolkata Knight Riders and had to return empty-handed.