Sairaj Bahutule is set to join Gautam Gambhir’s support staff as India’s spin-bowling coach.
The former India leg-spinner is currently with the Punjab Kings franchise and is expected to join the team from the home series against Afghanistan next month.
It is understood that Bahutule has already had a round of talk with Gambhir and the BCCI brass in Delhi. He is likely to sign the contract once the IPL ends.
The 53-year-old Bahutule, who played two Tests and eight ODIs between 1997 and 2003, taking five wickets, has been a part of the senior India support staff on a few occasions when Rahul Dravid was head coach. He had then been associated with the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. He had also accompanied the A-team on tours.
Gambhir too is learnt to have been interested in having Bahutule in the India set-up because of his proven skills.
He served as Rajasthan Royals’ spin-bowling coach from 2018 to 2021 and again in 2025 before joining the Kings. The Mumbaikar has also been head coach of multiple domestic teams, including Bengal, Vidarbha, Kerala and Gujarat.
The Team India support staff currently includes batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, fast-bowling coach Morne Morkel, fielding coach T. Dilip and assistant coach Ryan
ten Doeschate.
