The 2026 IPL is heading towards an exciting business end, and after this, the Indian cricket roadmap for the next World Cup will be shaped. Among all of these, the BCCI has already planned something interesting for the upcoming period. Reports are coming that Shreyas Iyer is likely to be introduced as the new captain of India, replacing Suryakumar Yadav, and reports are also claiming that former Bengal coach, Sairaj Bahutule, is likely to join the Indian team as spin bowling coach. If this happens, this will be a completely new post that BCCI is going to develop.
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According to Cricbuzz, the move is believed to have drawn the attention of India's head coach Gautam Gambhir. The current Team India coaching staff features batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, fast-bowling coach Morne Morkel, fielding coach T Dilip and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate. However, the national side does not currently have a dedicated spin-bowling coach, with Gambhir reportedly backing Bahutule for the position.
Who is Sairaj Bahutule?
Hailing from Mumbai, Sairaj Bahutule has worn the Indian jersey and played two Tests and eight ODIs for India from 2001 to 03, his standout performance in the Irani Cup, where he took 13 wickets, that spread his way in the Indian team, an injury to Anil Kumble helped him get his India debut. He spent five summers in Scotland representing Scottish Championship club Reigate Priory in the Premier Division.
🚨🔴 Team India bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule said, "When Rohit Sharma was batting, it seemed that there was no trouble in the pitch". pic.twitter.com/TpUglOoToF
— Vishal. (@SPORTYVISHAL) August 2, 2024
Not only that, He was part of the St. Xavier’s High School bowling attack when Sachin Tendulkar and teammate Vinod Kambli stitched together an unbeaten 664-run partnership for Shardashram Vidyamandir in a Lord Harris Shield inter-school match in 1988.
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The leg spinner took his retirement in 2013 after appearing for Mumbai, Maharashtra, Assam, Andhra and Vidarbha in domestic cricket. In June 2014, Bahutule was associated with the Kerala Cricket Association, and later in 2015, he joined Bengal as head coach. In IPL, he also remained the coach of Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings.
Sairaj Bahutule has previously travelled with the senior Indian team during his tenure at the National Cricket Academy, which was headed by VVS Laxman. Former India head coach Rahul Dravid had personally requested Bahutule’s inclusion in the support staff for the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, while he also accompanied the Indian team on their tour of Sri Lanka. Reports suggest Bahutule could soon join India’s coaching setup permanently, though the timeline depends on his commitments with Punjab Kings, where he currently works under head coach Ricky Ponting.
