Sairaj Bahutule, a former leg-spinner for India who previously worked with the India U-19 and India A teams, was named the spin bowling coach of the men’s national squad on Tuesday.
Bahutule was spotted wearing the Punjab Kings shirt during the just finished IPL. He played for India in two Test matches and eight One-Day Internationals.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Sairaj Bahutule as the Spin Bowling Coach of the Indian Cricket Team (Senior Men),” the BCCI said in a statement.
The 53-year-old, a standout player on the local circuit, amassed 6,176 runs and 630 wickets in nearly two decades of first-class cricket.
After retiring, Bahutule established a stellar coaching career as head coach of Bengal, Gujarat, Kerala, and Vidarbha. Additionally, from 2021 to 2024, he was affiliated with the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy, which is now known as the Center of Excellence, and served as a spin-bowling instructor for IPL teams Rajasthan Royals and most recently Punjab Kings.
Additionally, the former Mumbai mainstay was crucial to India’s player development process. In 2022, he coached bowling for India’s winning ICC Under-19 World Cup squad, and in 2024, he worked as a support staff member.
Bahutule has also served as a specialist bowling coach for India A and the senior men’s squad on several occasions.
“It is a tremendous honour to be appointed as the Spin Bowling Coach of the Indian Men’s Cricket Team. Representing India as a player was a matter of immense pride, and the opportunity to contribute to Indian cricket once again in a coaching capacity is deeply special,” Bahutule said in the statement issued by the Board.
“I look forward to working with the players and supporting the team’s pursuit of excellence across formats,” he added.
The one-off Test match against Afghanistan in Mullanpur starting on June 6 would be his debut assignment with the Indian squad. During the Test match, he would be coaching youngsters like Manav Suthar and Harsh Dubey.
