Amit Uniyal Named Punjab Head Coach as State Association Overhauls Support Staff for 2026-27 Season

Punjab has appointed Amit Uniyal as head coach for the upcoming 2026-27 domestic season, replacing Sandeep Sharma in a comprehensive restructuring of the team’s backroom staff. The coaching changes were officially announced on Saturday, August 8.

The revamped support staff includes TP Singh as batting coach, Harmeet Singh as bowling coach, and Manish Sharma as fielding coach. These appointments come as replacements for Uday Kaul, Gagandeep Singh, and Sandeep Sanwal, respectively. Additionally, a new selection committee has been formed, led by Gaurav Gupta.

Uniyal arrives with a deep understanding of the Punjab cricketing landscape, having previously served as the assistant coach for Chandigarh in 2020-21 and most recently as Punjab’s chairman of selectors. He becomes the fourth head coach appointed by the state in four seasons, following a period of rapid succession involving Aavishkar Salvi, Wasim Jaffer, and Sandeep Sharma.

Drivers Behind the Structural Overhaul

The primary motivation for this reorganization is Punjab’s performance in red-ball cricket. Over the last three Ranji Trophy seasons, the team managed only three victories out of 21 matches, suffering ten defeats. While the team found success in white-ball cricket—clinching the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2023-24—consistent performance in the four-day format has remained a significant challenge.

Instability in squad selection and leadership has further hindered progress. During the previous Ranji Trophy campaign, Punjab utilized 27 different players—the highest number in the Elite groups—and cycled through three different captains: Naman Dhir, Uday Saharan, and Shubman Gill. The newly established selection panel under Gaurav Gupta is expected to provide the stability needed for more consistent squad management.

Uniyal’s Vision for Punjab

A former left-arm spinner who represented Himachal Pradesh, Uniyal has extensive domestic experience, including appearances for the Rajasthan Royals during the 2009 IPL. His progression from Chandigarh’s assistant coach to Punjab’s chairman of selectors provides him with a unique institutional knowledge of the state’s talent pool.

“Since everyone wants to play in the IPL nowadays, they focus more on T20 cricket. And it’s the same everywhere, be it Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh or Mumbai. But we have the potential; we have the talent. All we need is to play as a unit,” Uniyal told ESPNcricinfo.

“We want to do better in red-ball cricket this time, and for that, you need bowlers who can take 20 wickets. So we will work towards that.

“I don’t know what happened last season. But obviously when the team is not winning, the changes are more. I just want us to play tough cricket without any fear of losing one’s spot. If someone gets picked, he will get a proper opportunity,” Uniyal mentioned further.

The central mission for Uniyal and his new staff will be to translate Punjab’s inherent talent into consistent results in the Ranji Trophy, supported by the newly settled selection panel heading into the 2026-27 season.

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