IPL 2022: Jonty Rhodes to take up dual role at Punjab Kings, to be their batting and fielding coach

IPL 2022: Jonty Rhodes, who has been serving as Punjab Kings' fielding coach, will also take up the role of the batting coach for the 10-team new season.

Following the departure of Wasim Jaffer, South African great Jonty Rhodes has taken up the additional role of a batting coach at Punjab Kings ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Rhodes has served as the fielding coach of the former finalists over the last 2 years.

52-year-old Rhodes was also sitting alongside head coach Anil Kumble and co-owners at the IPL mega auction table over the weekend. Rhodes, who made 5935 runs in 245 ODIs and 2532 runs in 52 Tests, is considered one of the finest fielders in world cricket.

While Kumble will work with the spinners, Damien Wright remains the fast bowling coach. Andy Flower, who was the assistant coach last season, has taken up the head coach role at new franchise Lucknow Super Giants.

Punjab Kings, who have never won an IPL title and last reached the final in 2014, are confident of going all the way following a "successful" auction where they bought the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Shahrukh, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow, Odean Smith, Kagiso Rabada and India U-19 star Raj Bawa.

Punjab went into the auction with the maximum purse having retained only Mayank Agarwal and Arshdeep Singh.

The team will also decide on the captaincy soon, as suggested by head coach Anil Kumble during the IPL mega auction.

Retained opener Mayank Agarwal, who has performed consistently for the team, had led the team in K L Rahul's absence last season when the latter was injured.