Chandigarh, Oct 23 (IANS) Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS) announced on Thursday that former India cricketer Sairaj Bahutule has joined as the new spin bowling coach ahead of the IPL 2026 season.

Bahutule replaces Sunil Joshi, who held the role in PBKS from 2023 to 2025, and is now headed to join the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. IANS had previously reported on October 16 that Bahutule had joined PBKS after being with IPL 2008 champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the 2025 season of the competition. He had worked in the same capacity with RR from 2018 to 2021.

“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,” said Bahutule in a statement.

Bahutule, who played two Tests and eight ODIs for India, brings a wealth of experience to the PBKS setup – holding coaching roles with domestic teams such as Kerala, Gujarat, Vidarbha, and Bengal, and being the spin bowling coach at the CoE for three years before concluding a short second stint with RR.

“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,” said Satish Menon, PBKS CEO.

Bahutule joins the PBKS support staff, comprising head coach Ricky Ponting, assistant coach Brad Haddin, fast bowling coach James Hope and Trevor Gonsalves. His first task will be to give inputs on the franchise’s retained players, whose tentative deadline is November 15, and subsequently help in devising the strategy for IPL 2026 auction, to be held in mid-December this year.

–IANS

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