Punjab Kings announce new spin bowling coach ahead of IPL 2026
After spending a season with the Rajasthan Royals, veteran coach Sairaj Bahutule has signed a new deal with the Punjab Kings ahead of IPL 2026. He will take over as the spin bowling coach, replacing Sunil Joshi, who served in the role from 2023 to 2025. Joshi is reportedly set to join the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, prompting Punjab to search for a new spin mentor, and Bahutule has now been appointed to fill that position.
A highly experienced coach, Bahutule has previously worked with the Indian national team and several domestic sides. He was part of the Rajasthan Royals setup from 2018 to 2021 before joining the National Cricket Academy (NCA), where he travelled with the Indian team for the Sri Lanka series and was also involved during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. After his NCA stint, he returned to Rajasthan last year but left following head coach Rahul Dravid’s exit. Over the years, Bahutule has also coached domestic teams such as Kerala, Gujarat, Vidarbha, and Bengal.
“We extend our sincere thanks to Sunil Joshi for his dedicated service and contribution to the Punjab Kings over the years. As we look forward, we are thrilled to welcome Sairaj Bahutule to our coaching staff. Sairaj’s deep understanding of the game, particularly his extensive experience in grooming domestic bowlers and managing strategy, will be invaluable to our side. His expertise aligns perfectly with our vision of building a strong and cohesive bowling unit for the season ahead,” Satish Menon, CEO of Punjab Kings, said.
Bahutule reacts to joining Punjab
The 52-year-old also shared his excitement about joining the franchise. He noted that Punjab play a different brand of cricket and he believes that there’s enormous potential in the players.
“I'm really excited to join Punjab Kings as a spin bowling coach for the upcoming IPL season. This is a team that plays a different brand of cricket, and I can see the potential is massive. They have a bunch of talented players, and I'm looking forward to working with them to refine their skills and help them reach new heights,” Bahutule said.
