Former India cricketer Sairaj Bahutule has been appointed spin bowling coach of the Rajasthan Royals, the Inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) champions. He worked in the same capacity with RR from 2018 to 2021.
“Joining Rajasthan Royals again is a tremendous honour. The franchise’s commitment to nurturing talent and playing an exciting brand of cricket resonates with my own coaching philosophy. I am eager to work alongside Rahul (Dravid, head coach) and the rest of the coaching staff to develop our bowling attack and contribute to the team’s success. Together, we aim to achieve great milestones in the forthcoming season,” Bahutule said.
The 52-year-old, who boasts an impressive record of over 630 wickets and 6,000 runs in first-class cricket, represented India in two Tests and eight ODIs and has since transitioned into a successful coaching career, mentoring teams such as Mumbai, Bengal, Kerala and the national team where he has been instrumental in developing emerging talents.
More recently, he was assistant to stand-in India head coach VVS Laxman when India toured Ireland for a T20I series. He was also India’s bowling coach when they won gold at the Asian Games in 2023.
“Sairaj’s deep understanding of spin bowling and his extensive coaching experience make him an invaluable addition to our team. His proven ability to mentor young bowlers aligns perfectly with our vision at Rajasthan Royals. Having worked with him before, I am confident that his insights and guidance will significantly benefit our players as we strive for excellence in the upcoming season,” Dravid said.
Ahead of the auction for IPL 2025, Royals had brought Dravid on board as their new head coach, replacing Kumar Sangakkara, who had been in charge from 2021 to 2024, and Vikram Rathour as batting coach.