PBKS staff member to join Gautam Gambhir’s Team India as spin-bowling coach after IPL 2026: Report

Gautam Gambhir’s India coaching setup is set to get a significant addition before the next international assignment.

Why Gautam Gambhir wants the PBKS staff member as India’s spin bowling coach

Sairaj Bahutule, the 53-year-old former India spinner currently serving as Punjab Kings’ spin-bowling coach under Ricky Ponting in IPL 2026, is expected to join the national team in a similar capacity once the tournament concludes.

The development, reported by Cricbuzz, comes after Bahutule held discussions with head coach Gambhir and senior BCCI officials about the role, conversations that appear to have gone well enough for his appointment to be considered a matter of when rather than if.

The Indian coaching setup under Gambhir currently includes batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, fast-bowling coach Morne Morkel, fielding coach T Dilip and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate. There is no designated spin-bowling coach in the setup and that gap, at a time when India’s spin department plays such a central role in their success across all three formats, has clearly been identified as something that needs to be addressed.

Bahutule’s reputation for spin-bowling coaching is strong and well-established within Indian cricket circles and it is understood to be the primary reason Gambhir has recommended his name for the position. The fact that this has come from the head coach himself rather than being driven entirely by the BCCI selection process suggests a genuine conviction that Bahutule’s specific skills match what the team needs right now.

A man who has been here before

Bahutule is not a stranger to the Indian team environment. During his time at the National Cricket Academy and Center of Excellence under VVS Laxman he traveled with the senior team on several occasions.

Most significantly, Rahul Dravid specifically requested Bahutule’s inclusion in the support staff for the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, a series where India’s spin strategy was critical, and he also served under Dravid on a tour of Sri Lanka.

The combination of Dravid’s endorsement in 2023 and Gambhir’s current interest tells you a great deal about how Bahutule is regarded by the two most respected figures in Indian cricket coaching over the last three years.

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IPL 2026: The Punjab Kings complication and what comes next

The timing of Bahutule’s expected appointment creates a potential complication given that Punjab Kings are still very much involved in the IPL 2026 season and in a strong position to make the playoffs.

He joined the franchise at the start of the season under Ponting, having previously spent a year with Rajasthan Royals under Dravid, and cutting short that commitment mid-tournament is not ideal for anyone.

However, Cricbuzz sources suggest Punjab Kings are unlikely to stand in his way given that the opportunity involves the national team and the BCCI, few franchises would want to be seen as an obstacle to a coach joining India.

The exact timeline will depend on his contractual obligations with PBKS and the BCCI’s requirements, but the expectation is that he will be onboarded into the Indian setup soon after the IPL concludes. Bahutule could not be reached for comment.