Punjab Appoints Amit Uniyal as Head Coach in Major Support Staff Overhaul for 2026-27 Season
Punjab has appointed Amit Uniyal as the head coach of its senior men’s cricket team for the 2026-27 domestic season, replacing Sandeep Sharma as part of a sweeping restructuring of the backroom staff.
What Happened
The coaching reshuffle, announced on Saturday, August 8, brings a completely new support staff to the Punjab setup. Along with Uniyal, TP Singh has been appointed as the batting coach, Harmeet Singh as the bowling coach, and Manish Sharma as the fielding coach. They replace Uday Kaul, Gagandeep Singh, and Sandeep Sanwal, respectively. Additionally, a new selection committee led by Gaurav Gupta has been established.
Uniyal becomes Punjab’s fourth head coach across the last four seasons, following tenures by Aavishkar Salvi (2023-24), Wasim Jaffer, and Sandeep Sharma, each of whom served for a single season. Uniyal is a former left-arm spinner who played domestic cricket for Himachal Pradesh, featuring in 46 List A matches and playing two games for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2009. Prior to this appointment, he worked as Chandigarh’s assistant coach in 2020-21 and served as Punjab’s chairman of selectors during the most recent domestic season.
Key Highlights
- Amit Uniyal takes over as Punjab head coach for the 2026-27 domestic campaign.
- TP Singh, Harmeet Singh, and Manish Sharma join as batting, bowling, and fielding coaches, respectively.
- Gaurav Gupta has been appointed to lead the state’s new selection committee.
- Punjab has had four different head coaches in the past four seasons.
- The changes follow a challenging red-ball run where Punjab secured only three wins in 21 Ranji Trophy fixtures across three seasons.
- During the latest Ranji Trophy campaign, Punjab rotated through three captains—Naman Dhir, Uday Saharan, and Shubman Gill—and fielded a total of 27 players.
Why This Matters
The management overhaul reflects Punjab’s effort to address persistent difficulties in the multi-day format. Over the last three Ranji Trophy seasons, Punjab registered only three victories while suffering ten defeats. Although the team achieved white-ball success by winning the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2023-24, four-day consistency has remained an issue.
Frequent leadership and squad changes compounded their recent red-ball campaign, with the side using 27 players—the highest among Elite group teams—and switching captains twice. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Uniyal highlighted the need for unit cohesion, consistent backing of selected players, and developing bowlers capable of taking 20 wickets in red-ball matches.
What to Watch Next
The primary task for Uniyal, his new coaching staff, and Gaurav Gupta’s selection panel will be establishing stability in squad selection and converting talent into improved four-day results starting with the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy campaign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the new head coach of the Punjab cricket team?
Amit Uniyal has been appointed as the head coach for the 2026-27 domestic season.
Who are the new members of Punjab’s coaching staff?
The new backroom staff includes batting coach TP Singh, bowling coach Harmeet Singh, and fielding coach Manish Sharma.
Who leads the new selection panel for Punjab?
Gaurav Gupta heads the newly constituted selection committee.
Source: Crictracker and ESPNcricinfo reporting.