Sairaj Bahutule named India men's spin-bowling coach ahead of Afghanistan Test

Sairaj Bahutule (Pic: BCCI)

Former Indian leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule has been appointed as the spin-bowling coach for the men's national cricket team. He has already linked up with the squad in preparation for the upcoming one-off Test match against Afghanistan, which is set to take place in New Chandigarh from June 6 to 10.

The 53-year-old will oversee India's spin department across formats. Bahutule joins the Indian camp after a stint with Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, where he served as the franchise's spin-bowling coach.

Bahutule brings a wealth of coaching experience to the national side. He has previously guided domestic heavyweights Bengal and Kerala, and worked as a spin consultant for Rajasthan Royals (RR) from 2018 to 2021 before returning to the franchise for the 2025 season. Furthermore, his tenure at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) saw him mentor India A squads and occasionally assist the senior men's national team during Rahul Dravid's term as head coach.

During his playing days, the leg-spinner donned the Indian jersey between 1997 and 2003, appearing in two Tests and eight One-Day Internationals. While his international career was brief, he was highly successful in the domestic circuit with a career spanning nearly twenty years. The leg-spinner claimed 630 wickets in 188 first-class matches and picked up 197 wickets in 143 List A games.

In an exclusive chat with Mid-Day, Sairaj Bahutule opened up about bowling to Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli during their world record 664-run partnership and his cricket-playing journey, which resulted in an India Test cap during that epic 2001 test series against Australia.

Bahutule 'honoured' to be appointed as spin coach

Expressing his gratitude for the new role, the veteran spinner noted that transitioning from representing the country on the field to mentoring its next generation of players is an incredibly proud milestone in his career.

"It is a tremendous honour to be appointed as the Spin Bowling Coach of the Indian Men's Cricket Team. 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," Bahutule said.