Punjab Kings has made a major move, having appointed former Indian leg spinner Sairaj Bahutule as their new spin bowling coach ahead of the IPL 2026 season.
Bahutule, who has parted ways with Rajasthan Royals, will be taking over the same role and will bring in lots of experience from his long coaching career in franchise cricket.
He has also worked with domestic teams such as Bengal, Kerala, Vidarbha and Gujarat, and has been credited on developing young Indian bowlers across formats.
Speaking on Sairaj Bahutule’s appointment, Punjab Kings CEO Satish Menon said, “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. His deep understanding of the game, particularly his extensive experience in grooming domestic bowlers and managing strategy, will be invaluable to our side.”
Spin Bowling Coach, Sairaj Bahutule is now a 🦁! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xBGvDCYvyF
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) October 23, 2025
Meanwhile, Sairaj Bahutule himself has expressed his delightful, saying, “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,” concluded Sairaj Bahutule.
Bahutule will be joined the PBKS support staff, which includes head coach Ricky Ponting, assistant coach Brad Haddin, fast bowlers James Hope and Trevor Gonsalves.
His first task will be to give inputs on the franchise’ retained players ahead of the deadline on November 15. Punjab Kings has finished as runners up in the IPL 2025 season after suffering defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the finals.
