Punjab Kings are ready to launch their 2023 IPL season on Saturday, April 1, hosting the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium. After a frustrating sixth-place finish last year, the team has turned to Trevor Bayliss as their new Head Coach to instill more consistency. Bayliss, a coach with a World Cup title to his name, is partnering with new captain Shikhar Dhawan to change the narrative of the Punjab Kings and move past their history of underachievement.
Punjab Kings are all set to begin their campaign for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 1 (Saturday) at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium. Punjab Kings finished a disappointing sixth in the previous edition. Punjab Kings, who appointed Trevor Bayliss as their new Head Coach, expects him to turn an inconsistent side into a consistent outfit. World Cup winning coach Bayliss alongside new skipper Shikhar Dhawan eye to shed Punjab Kings’ perennial underachievers tag this season.
The 60-year-old Australian coach is no stranger to success, having previously steered KKR to victory in the 2012 and 2014 IPL seasons. Talking to PTI, Bayliss admitted that if the team wants to finally win a title, they must prioritize aggressive batting in the closing overs and be more effective at taking wickets in the middle of the match.
Bayliss reflected on last season, noting that the team struggled to finish their innings with a flourish. This gap in the roster led them to recruit the young all-rounder Sam Curran, who Bayliss believes adds significant depth to the middle order and provides elite-level bowling. On the batting front, the coach wants his top-order players to consistently score in the 70s and 80s, which would take the pressure off the middle order and create a more fluid transition.
From a bowling perspective, Bayliss believes that teams that can take wickets during the middle overs are incredibly difficult to defeat, making it a top priority for his squad. Additionally, he emphasized that he is focusing on building a relaxed, pressure-free atmosphere among the players, believing that a positive environment is essential for achieving success.