The Punjab Kings have signed ex-English first class cricketer Julian Ross Wood ahead of the new 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) season which begins on 26th April 2022.
Wood has a reputation as a pioneer in power hitting coaching, having worked with players from the IPL, Big Bash League and other T20 leagues. In the past, Wood has used the science to help the likes of Ben Stokes, Prithvi Shaw, Sam Billings and Carlos Brathwaite stay still and hit the ball out of the park.
With the likes of Liam Livingston, Jonny Bairstow, Shahrukh Khan and Raj Angad Bawa all big hitters themselves now in the PBKS team, it will be interesting to see his efforts repeated on the pitch.
The 53-year-old will join the Punjab Batters alongside assistant coach Jonty Rhodes, who has been given additional responsibilities this season alongside the field department.
Who is Julian Wood, the batting advisor for our kings this year!
Get to know our new power impact specialist #SaddaPunjab #PunjabKings https://t.co/CtEQmtx8V5
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) March 14, 2022
“We are delighted to announce Julian Ross Wood as our new batting advisor for #TATAIPL2022,” the team wrote on social media.
The franchise had a fairly successful auction, nabbing Jonny Bairstow, Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada and Shahrukh Khan.
Punjab has had Wood on the radar for the past two years but was finally able to secure his services last week.
Wood had been approached by other IPL teams in the past, but the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to his late arrival in the world’s biggest T20 league.
Punjab is in dire need of a turnaround in its fortunes having finished 6th out of 8 teams for the past three seasons. Her only last appearance was in 2014.
