IPL 2023: Sunil Joshi appointed PBKS spin-bowling coach
Former Indian left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi has been named the spin-bowling coach of the Punjab Kings (PBKS). The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise announced the same on Monday (January 16). Joshi is a part of PBKS' revamped coaching staff and would like to make a significant impact. Notably, he has mentored the Bangladesh national team in the past. Here are further details.
Why does this story matter?
After a poor IPL 2022 campaign, PBKS entirely overhauled their coaching staff. Joshi will operate under Trevor Bayliss, PBKS' new head coach. This will be Joshi's second stint with the Mohali-based team. He joined the side in 2019 as the assistant of Anil Kumble, PBKS' then-head coach. He resigned in 2020 to take up the job in India's selection panel in early 2020.
Joshi's recent assignments
It must be noted that Joshi became Team India's chairman of selectors in 2020. Though he lost the pole position to Chetan Sharma later that year, the former spinner continued to be a part of the selection panel till last year's ICC T20 World Cup in Australia. Following India's ouster in the competition, the entire selection committee was sacked.
His coaching experience
Joshi had served as the spin-bowling coach of the Bangladesh national men's team. He also had coaching stints with Ranji teams like Hyderabad, Jammu and Kashmir, and Assam. Notably, Joshi had earlier been a part of Royal Challengers Bangalore as a player in 2008 and 2009, the first two seasons of the tournament. He played four games in the competition, scalping a solitary wicket.
A look at his numbers
Joshi was a vital cog of the Indian domestic side Karnataka during his playing days. He also made a mark at the international level. The former Indian spinner Sunil Joshi made his international debut in a Test against England in 1996. He finished with 41 scalps in 15 Tests at 35.85. The southpaw featured in 69 ODIs and snapped up as many wickets.
Other changes in the PBKS staff
Besides Joshi and Bayliss, the Mohali-based team welcomed former Australian wicket-keeper Brad Haddin and Ex-South African pacer Charl Langeveldt to the coaching staff. Haddin will operate as the assistant and fielding coach. Langeveldt has been named the bowling coach. Wasim Jaffer has been re-appointed as the batting coach of the side. Shikhar Dhawan has replaced Mayank Agarwal as the skipper of the team.
Will PBKS end their drought?
The Mohali-based team seeks its maiden IPL title in the 2023 edition. They reached the semi-finals in the inaugural IPL edition and ended as the runners-up in 2014. Formerly known as Kings XI Punjab, PBKS have received the wooden spoon thrice (2010, 2015, 2016), besides missing out in 2018 (7th). Skipper Dhawan would have to make a complete turnaround in the franchise's fortunes.
