As per the latest reports coming in, former Indian spinner Sairaj Bahutule is set to join the Indian team as its spin-bowling coach. He is currently associated with Punjab Kings and is expected to part
ways with the franchise after the ongoing IPL season. Sairaj Bahutule is understood to have held discussions with all concerned, including head coach Gautam Gambhir and senior officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). In the current team India management, there is no dedicated spin bowling coach and as per reports he is set to get the role. The India coaching setup includes batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, fast-bowling coach Morne Morkel, fielding coach T Dilip and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate. There is no designated spin-bowling coach at the moment, and Gambhir is understood to have recommended Bahutule's name for the role.
🚨 Cricbuzz understands that there is a strong possibility of Sairaj Bahutule joining the Indian team as spin-bowling coach He is understood to have held discussions with Gautam Gambhir and senior BCCI officials He is currently associated with Punjab Kings pic.twitter.com/CNJSCltTJD
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) May 8, 2026
Strong Domestic Record and Coaching Experience
Sairaj Bahutule, the former Indian spinner has plenty of experience in the domestic circuit having played 188 First Class matches for Mumbai in which he has picked up 630 wickets at an average of 26 and also scored more than 6000 runs at an average of 31. He has also represented India during the 1997 to 2003 period where he played two Test matches and eight One Day Internationals.
The 53-year-old also has prior coaching experience having been with the Indian side for the 2024 white ball tour to South Africa as well as the emerging team last year. Sairaj has been India’s bowling coach for around 10 series during the coaching tenures of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. Former India head coach Rahul Dravid had requested Sairaj Bahutule to be part of the Indian team during the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He was also part of Dravid's support staff during a tour of Sri Lanka.
Sairaj Bahutule is expected to join the Indian team setup soon, although the timeline will depend on his contractual obligations with Punjab Kings and how far they go this season. He joined the Punjab side under head coach Ricky Ponting ahead of the current IPL season. Before joining the PBKS team, Sairaj Bahutule was associated with Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.
