Rajasthan Royals appoint Sairaj Bahutule as spin-bowling coach for IPL 2025

Former India legspinner Sairaj Bahutule has made a return to Rajasthan Royals as their spin-bowling coach for IPL 2025. Bahutule previously held the same position with the team from 2018 to 2021, bringing his expertise and experience back to the franchise.

"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."

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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."

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.