Never thought I would play cricket again: India spin coach Sairaj Bahutule recalls horrific youth accident

Sairaj Bahutule (File Pic)

Long before establishing himself as a domestic giant and becoming the newly appointed spin-bowling coach of the Indian men's cricket team, Sairaj Bahutule survived a car accident during his youth that altered his life forever. The tragic incident not only left him with severe, career-threatening physical injuries but also claimed the life of his close friend, Vivek Singh.

Speaking to Mid-Day about the incident, Bahutule reflected on the crash and recalled how overwhelming the immediate aftermath felt.

"Well, it was very disturbing to be very honest because, you know, accidents obviously do happen out of the blue, and you suddenly realise, 'Why did this happen to me?' or you have this sympathy factor. You get a lot of this emotional baggage thrown at you from all sorts about, 'Why did you have to go out?' 'Why did you have to be in that place?' And all sorts of things. But I think these things happen, and you have to accept it," he shared.

After the accident, Bahutule was on crutches for a long period of time. The severe physical damage from the crash left Bahutule questioning if he would ever return to the sport he loved.

"I also had some real, real bad injuries. At that particular time, I thought I would never play cricket because I had broken my femur and all sorts of small injuries," he said.

Supported unconditionally by his parents and family, who helped him refocus on his health and sport, Bahutule embarked on a massive personal transformation and eventually ended up playing for India and then taking up the coaching role for the Indian men's team.

Adversity got the best out of me: Sairaj Bahutule

The near-death experience ultimately forged a relentless work ethic within Bahutule. The former Indian spinner believes that the adverse conditions after the crash got the best out of him as he worked his way towards the top.

"That incident completely changed my way of thinking towards life, and I always felt that there had to be a reason why I've been alive, and that's how I realised that every day is going to be like I need to work hard," he noted.

"Many people say that adversity sometimes gets the best out of you. I think I can look back and say that while that adversity was a crucial point in my life where everything changed, and I just thought that there had to be some reason for me to be just living," Bahutule concluded.