In a significant development, the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS) has appointed a new spin bowling coach ahead of the new season. Sairaj Bahutule will replace Sunil Joshi in the coaching staff. Joshi served as their spin coach from IPL 2023 to 2025.

Sunil Joshi had to leave his role at the Punjab Kings franchise for his new role as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed him as the new bowling coach at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

Sairaj Bahutule is set to bring plenty of experience to the team, having been a highly regarded coach already. He has previously coached domestic teams, including Kerala, Gujarat, Bengal and another IPL team Rajasthan Royals. 

Satish Menon, the CEO of Punjab Kings, extended his warm wishes and welcomed him to the team. He also expressed his gratitude towards Sunil Joshi for his contributions to Punjab in the IPL. 

As quoted by Cricbuzz, Satish said: 

"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. His deep understanding of the game, particularly his extensive experience in grooming domestic bowlers and managing strategy, will be invaluable to our side."

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Sairaj, who featured in 188 First-class and 143 List A matches, picked up 827 wickets across both formats, demonstrating his spin talent in different formats of the game. Additionally, he has over 7500 runs in his career as well.

Bahutale will join the coaching staff that is led by head coach Ricky Ponting. Brad Haddin and James Hopes were the other assistant coaches. Punjab Kings had a stellar campaign last season, reaching the IPL final in a dominating fashion. However, they lost the final against Bengaluru but would be looking to carry over the same form this season.