“Joining Rajasthan Royals again is a tremendous honour,” Bahutule said in a release. “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.”
After his stint with RR, Bahutule joined the National Cricket Academy as spin-bowling coach and was part of the support staff during multiple India A series. 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.
Bahutule has 633 wickets in first class cricket and ten wickets in T20s. He played two Tests and eight ODIs for India and has transitioned into a coaching career since.
“Sairaj’s deep understanding of spin bowling and his extensive coaching experience make him an invaluable addition to our team,” Dravid said. “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.”
