The Board of Control for Cricket in India on June 2, officially announced the appointment of Sairaj Bahutule as the new spin-bowling coach for the senior men’s national team. The 53-year-old former leg-spinner will join the squad immediately and prepare for the upcoming home series against Afghanistan. This will be a boost for the coaching staff going into the one-off Test match in Mullanpur starting on June 6.
🚨 News 🚨
BCCI appoints Sairaj Bahutule as India’s Spin Bowling Coach.
More Details 🔽 | #TeamIndiahttps://t.co/DYgHNIX7E5
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 2, 2026
The BCCI confirmed that Bahutule will oversee the spin department across all formats. He has already linked up with the Indian camp in New Chandigarh. Consequently, his appointment fills a vital role as India looks to improve its performance in the longest format of the game.
A Distinguished Playing Career and Domestic Success
Sairaj Bahutule enjoyed an excellent career lasting almost two decades. He was a stalwart of Indian domestic cricket and a prolific allrounder. He played two Test matches and eight One Day Internationals for India between 1997 and 2003. His international career may have been short but his domestic record still is one of the best in the history of the game.
Bahutule was known for his leg-spin and his ability to score useful runs for his team. He played 188 first-class matches, taking an incredible 630 wickets. As a batsman, he has scored more than 6,000 runs in his career.
Extensive Coaching Experience in Domestic and IPL Cricket
Following his retirement from the field, Bahutule has established himself as a top quality coach. He has worked at all levels of the game, domestic, pathway and international cricket. He has been the head coach of many major domestic teams like Vidarbha, Kerala, Gujarat and Bengal.
Meanwhile, he also had valuable experience in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He worked as the spin-bowling coach for the Rajasthan Royals between 2018 and 2021. Later, he returned to the Royals for the 2025 season. Most recently he was the Punjab Kings’ spin coach in the 2026 season of the IPL. His IPL experience gave him exposure to some of the best players in the world.
Bahutule was also key in developing the young talent in India. He was the bowling coach of the India team that won the 2022 ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup. Moreover, he was part of the coaching staff in 2024 when the Under-19 team reached the tournament final. From 2021 to 2024 he worked at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy, now the Centre of Excellence.
Integrating into the National Team Management
Bahutule will now be working with a coaching setup led by head coach Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir returns to his duties after the IPL 2026 break. The support staff also includes Sitanshu Kotak as batting coach, Morne Morkel as fast-bowling coach, T Dilip as fielding coach, and Ryan ten Doeschate as assistant coach. Bahutule’s addition completes this expert team.
India appoint former player as the new spin bowling coach of the men’s team 👀https://t.co/hg4hBwLPob
— ICC (@ICC) June 2, 2026
Upon his appointment, Bahutule expressed his pride in returning to the national side. “It was a matter of huge pride to represent India as a player,” he said. He also said it was very special to be able to contribute again as a coach. He looks forward to working with the players to achieve excellence across all formats.
Challenges for the New Spin Coach
Bahutule faces immediate challenges as he takes over the spin department. India has struggled recently in the home Test series. The team lost 3-0 to New Zealand in 2024, and 2-0 to South Africa in 2025. Consequently, the BCCI wants Bahutule to help the spinners regain their dominance on Indian pitches.
The upcoming series against Afghanistan is the first test for the new coach. India will host Afghanistan for a one-off Test match followed by three ODIs. The Test match takes place from June 6 to June 10 in Mullanpur. This match marks India’s first red-ball assignment of the year.
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