Xtra Time Web Desk: Indian Premier League franchise Punjab Kings on Friday announced the return of Sanjay Bangar as the Head of Cricket Development for the upcoming IPL 2024 season. Bangar will work together with head coach Trevor Bayliss, and his initial responsibility will be overseeing the IPL 2024 auction in Dubai on December 19. The franchise made the announcement in a social media post.
Having previously served as the assistant coach in 2014 before ascending to the head coaching role for three years, Bangar is no stranger to the Kings. However, his tenure was interrupted by conflict-of-interest allegations, leading him to relinquish his position with the Punjab franchise to focus on his role as the batting coach of the Indian cricket team.
In a statement, Bangar expressed his privilege at rejoining Punjab Kings, noting the team’s strong core of players as evidenced by the minimal player releases this year. His primary challenge is to provide comprehensive support to the squad during and after the season to enhance team strength and achieve success.
Following his national team stint, Bangar assumed roles with Royal Challengers Bangalore, serving as a batting consultant for IPL 2021 and subsequently as the head coach for the next two years. However, his contract with RCB was not renewed after the conclusion of IPL 2023.