The Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS) has named former India cricketer Sairaj Bahutule as their new spin bowling coach for the next IPL 2026 season.

Bahutule, 52, who played two Tests and eight ODIs in his brief international career for India, succeeds Sunil Joshi, who has held the role since 2023.

Bahutule has extensive first-class cricket experience and is a well-regarded coach. He has previously coached domestic teams, including Kerala, Gujarat, Vidarbha, and Bengal, as well as the IPL club Rajasthan Royals, with a focus on developing new players.

Satish Menon, CEO of Punjab Kings, welcomed Bahutule and stated, “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."  

Bahutule also expressed his enthusiasm about joining the franchise.

“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.

PBKS had finished as runners-up in the previous season after an impressive performance in the league stage. Shreyas Iyer captains the PBKS franchise, with Ricky Ponting as head coach and Brad Haddin as batting and keeping coach.

(PTI inputs)