Word comes that Team India’s top officials have suggested to the BCCI bringing back Sairaj Bahutule for the role of senior men’s spin bowling coach. Though nothing official yet, those close to the matter say he may step into the job shortly. Right now, he works with Punjab Kings, guiding their spinners after they reached the IPL final in 2025. His path includes time shaping players at Kerala and Bengal, plus earlier work under Rajasthan Royals’ setup. Just shy of two dozen international appearances mark his playing days – two Tests, eight ODIs – with modest numbers but steady presence. Batting mattered too; in local matches, he stood out not just turning the ball, but handling lower-order knocks. Out of nowhere, across 188 top-level games, the cricketer born in Mumbai claimed 630 wickets – each dismissal costing him just 26 runs on average, peaking at a remarkable 8 for 71; twenty-seven times he tore through half the lineup, four occasions seeing him conquer both sides entirely. Hitting came into play too – he pushed his score to 6,176 runs from 242 turns at bat, averaging 31.83, stitching together nine hundreds along with 26 solid fifties.
Out on the List-A field, 143 games brought him 197 wickets – each falling at just 26.17 runs apiece – with nine times snaring four batsmen in one go, once even clearing five. Batting showed up too; across 87 turns, 1,367 runs piled in while chasing leather, marked by one hundred and a pair past fifty, averaging out near 23.16.
Only twelve T20 matches feature on Bahutule’s record, yet he managed ten wickets – each falling after nearly twenty-seven runs were conceded. His bat contributed across eight turns, totaling one hundred six runs, including a single half-century. That fifty stands out quietly amid modest numbers.
Played for Maharashtra Mumbai Vidarbha Assam Andhra Pradesh in domestic cricket
Right now, Team India works without a dedicated spin bowling coach. As they prepare for the future, the request has gone out to Sairaj to step into that spot – especially with the Test squad shifting gears after Ashwin’s exit, while Jadeja remains active on the field. Over in ODI cricket, the presence of Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel adds depth alongside Jadeja, giving the unit strong rotation options through slow bowlers.
