Sairaj Bahutule joins India team as spin-bowling coach ahead of Afghanistan Test

He was recently with PBKS in IPL 2026 in a similar capacity

Sairaj Bahutule, the former India legspinner, has joined the men's team as their spin-bowling coach ahead of their one-off Test match against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh. The 53-year-old will also work with India's spinners in white-ball cricket.

Bahutule's latest stint was with Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2026, where he worked as their spin-bowling coach too. In the past, he had been with the Kerala and Bengal men's teams. He was also part of Rajasthan Royals' support staff from 2018 to 2021, before joining the National Cricket Academy (NCA). He served as support staff for India A assignments and a few India series, when Rahul Dravid was head coach, before returning for another one-year stint with RR in IPL 2025.

Bahutule had a stop-and-start international career, making his debut for India in 1997 and playing his final game for them in 2003. During these years, he played only two Tests and eight ODIs. However, he was prolific in domestic cricket: he took 630 wickets in 188 first-class matches, and 197 wickets in 143 List A games with his legspin, in a career that spanned around 20 years.

Bahutule will join an India support staff that does not have an incumbent spin-bowling coach. He will join ranks with head coach Gautam Gambhit and Sitanshu Kotak (batting), Morne Morkel (fast bowling), T Dilip (fielding) and Ryan ten Doeschate (assistant coach).

India are currently sixth on the World Test Championship (WTC) points table, having won four and lost four Tests each, along with one draw. They have also lost two of their previous three Test series at home: they were whitewashed 3-0 by New Zealand in late 2024, then 2-0 by South Africa in November 2025.

India play their first Test match of the year, less than a week after the IPL ended, against Afghanistan in New Chandigarh from June 6 to 10.