Sairaj Bahutule, the former India all-rounder, has been appointed by the BCCI as the new spin bowling coach for the Indian men’s cricket team. The BCCI confirmed the appointment on Tuesday, June 2, ahead of the upcoming home series against Afghanistan.

Bahutule, who represented India in two Tests and eight ODIs, was a domestic cricket stalwart and brings with him a wealth of experience as both a player and a coach. A prolific performer on the domestic circuit, he scored 6176 runs and claimed 630 wickets in first-class cricket, establishing himself as one of the game’s finest all-round contributors.  

Over the years, he has built a strong reputation for nurturing and developing spin-bowling talent across domestic and franchise cricket.

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Shifting Focus To Spin Department  

While India’s star-studded support staff features head coach Gautam Gambhir, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, and fast-bowling coach Morne Morkel, a specialized, dedicated coach for the spinners was a missing piece of the puzzle. Sairaj Bahutule steps in to fill that vital void.

“It is a tremendous honour to be appointed as the spin Bowling Coach of the Indian men’s cricket team,” said Bahutule on his appointment.

“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.

India will be looking to make the most of Bahutule’s experience in the upcoming cricket season.

A Proven Coaching Pedigree

Following a distinguished playing career, Sairaj Bahutule has established himself as one of the most respected coaches in Indian cricket across domestic, pathway, and franchise levels.

His coaching journey has spanned domestic, pathway and international cricket, including tenures as Head Coach of Vidarbha, Kerala, Gujarat and Bengal. He has also served as a spin-bowling coach with IPL franchises Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings.

Domestic Powerhouse: He has successfully served as the head coach for multiple prominent state teams, including Vidarbha, Kerala, Gujarat, and Bengal.  

IPL Experience: He brings deep franchise experience, having served as the spin-bowling coach for the Rajasthan Royals (2018-2021, 2025) and most recently for the Punjab Kings during the IPL 2026 season.  

NCA & Pathway Excellence: A key contributor to India’s player development pathway, he was the Bowling Coach of India’s ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup-winning team in 2022 and was also part of the coaching staff for the 2024 edition of the tournament.

He has worked extensively with India A and the senior men’s team as a specialist bowling coach on multiple assignments and was a key member of the coaching setup at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy (now Centre of Excellence) from 2021 to 2024.

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What Lies Ahead

Bahutule takes over the spin department at a transitionary time. India is currently pushing to find its rhythm in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle after some tough red-ball outings at home over the last couple of years.  

His immediate task will be working with standard-bearers like Kuldeep Yadav and blooding younger talent like Washington Sundar, Manav Suthar, and Harsh Dubey. Following the home assignment against Afghanistan, Bahutule will travel with the team for a high-profile white-ball tour of England.  

Team India Returns To Action

Playing international cricket for the first time since their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup victory in March this year, the Indian men’s cricket team will return to action in a one-off Test against Afghanistan starting June 6 in Mullanpur.

This will be followed by a three-ODI series between the two teams. This will be followed by India touring England for a white-ball series featuring five T20Is and three ODIs.

India’s Squads Against Afghanistan

Test Squad: Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul (vc), Sai Sudharsan, Rishabh Pant, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Manav Suthar, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey

ODI Squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma*, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya*, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey.

*Subject to fitness

Fixtures For IND vs AFG Series

One-off Test – 6 June to 10 June, Mullanpur

1st ODI – 13 June, Dharamsala

2nd ODI – 17 June, Lucknow

3rd ODI – 20 June, Chennai