BCCI has appointed former Team India all-rounder Sairaj Bahutule as the new spin bowling coach for the men’s national cricket team. The development has come days ahead of India’s bilateral against Afghanistan.
BCCI has informed about the fresh appointment on May 2. Bahutule, who is recognized as a starwalt in domestic cricket, represented the national cricket team in two Tests and eight ODIs. In the First Class cricket, the former cricketer had 6176 runs and claimed 630 wickets in five matches.
Tremendous honour: Sairaj Bahutule
“It is a tremendous honour to be appointed as the spin Bowling Coach of the men’s national cricket team,” Sairaj Bahutule is quoted in BCCI’s official press release.
“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. I look forward to working with the players and supporting the team’s pursuit of excellence across formats,” he added.
BCCI called him a domestic stalwart
The 53-year-old has gained reputations on grooming spin bowling talents over the years. He has been actively working in the domestic cricket sector for years now, gaining experience in both domestic and franchise cricket.
“A former India international and a domestic stalwart, Mr Bahutule brings with him a wealth of experience as both a player and a coach. Over the years, he has built a strong reputation for nurturing and developing spin-bowling talent across domestic and franchise cricket,” according to the official press release.
It is worth mentioning that Sairaj Bahutule has worked closely with the Under-19 national side and A He was appointed as the bowling coach of the 2022 Indian Under-19 World Cup-winning team and was a part of the coaching staff for the 2024 edition of the tournament. From 2021 to 2024, he was one of the key members of the coaching setup at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy, which is currently known as the Centre of Excellence (CoE).
He has also worked as the spin bowling coach of the Punjab Kings and the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Under his coaching, there are plenty of cricketers, including spinners, who have developed their bowling skills. With the senior national cricket team, expectations will be high on Sairaj Bahutule’s shoulders.
A packed schedule ahead of Team India
The appointment of Sairaj Bahutule comes at a crucial moment when the team is preparing to make its return in international cricket. The Men in Blue will be back in action through the One-off Test against the Afghanistan cricket team on June 6 in Mullanpur. After the match in Whites, these two teams are scheduled to play a three-match ODI series as well.
Last time the Men in Blue played during the 2026 ICC T20I World Cup, where they claimed their third T20I title, defeating New Zealand in the summit clash. From July 1st, they will have to face England for a 5-match T20I series and a Three-match ODI series.
BCCI has already announced the squads for the Afghanistan series. The squads contain multiple emerging spinners, who will get the required assistance from Sairaj Bahutule. Emerging spinners like Manav Suthar, Harsh Dubey will be benifited by the coaching of the veteran. Additionally, Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar are also in the squads for the Afghanistan series.