Ahead of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Rajasthan Royals has added another former India coach who has joined the Rahul Dravid-led RR coaching staff. Sairaj Bahutule will be making his return to the IPL with the Rajasthan Royals. Previously affiliated with the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, the former India player will join the Royals as a spin bowling coach and will be in the dugout starting this season. Prior to joining the NCA, currently known as the Centre of Excellence, he worked for the Royals from 2018 to 21.
Dravid on Sairaj's appointment
Dravid hailed Sairaj's coaching experience and how it can help the team. He also praised his understanding of spin bowling. The former Indian head coach believes the team will benefit a lot from him joining the team again.
"Sairaj's deep understanding of spin bowling and his extensive coaching experience make him an invaluable addition to our team. 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," said Dravid
Following the conclusion of his tenure as head coach of Team India, Rahul Dravid returned to RR as their coach. He previously worked with RR from 2011 until 2013. For three years, Dravid was a member of the Rajasthan-based team. After retiring, he took over as coach of RR, a position he held for two years.
In 2017, Dravid was working with the BCCI and had to quit coaching IPL teams. In 2018, RR returned to the IPL. Following a successful time with Team India from November 2021 to June 2024, he decided to rejoin RR. Under his guidance, India advanced to the 2024 T20 World Cup final and won the competition.
Sairaj Bahutule on joining RR again
Joining Rajasthan Royals again is a tremendous honour. 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 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."