Rajasthan Royals Shake Hands With This Indian Bowling Coach Under Rahul Dravid Before IPL 2025

Rajasthan Royals (RR), the inaugural champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has not found the same glory since the 2008 season. They reached the final and have qualified for several playoffs, but the crown is yet so far from their grab.

The Royals finished the previous season of the 20-over tournament in the third position. They got the better of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the eliminator but failed to go a step ahead with the defeat against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Sairaj Bahutule joins Rajasthan Royals after leaving NCA duties

Sairaj Bahutule is reported to rejoin the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the 2025 season of the league. The former Indian spinner was recently associated with the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru before he left the position without any notice a few days ago.

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He will take up the job of the spin bowling coach of the franchise and will stay in the dugout from the season. Previously, he had worked with the Royals from 2018 to 2021 before joining the NCA, whose name has changed to Centre of Excellence.

In Rajasthan Royals, Sairaj will collaborate with the bowling coach, Shane Bond, the former New Zealand pacer, who has been the side’s bowling coach, and with head coach Rahul Dravid. The latter was in charge of the side of the Indian team and carried them to the 2024 T20 World Cup victory in the West Indies and the United States of America.

“The discussions are ongoing, and I'm close to finalizing my involvement with the franchise. There are still a few details to be worked out, but I'm excited to be realigning with the Royals.” The former leg-spinner reckoned during a recent interaction with Cricbuzz.

“I'm also thrilled to be reuniting with Rahul. He was the one who introduced me to the Indian team during the last Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in 2023 when I served as the spin-bowling coach. I was also part of his coaching staff in Sri Lanka, so I'm looking forward to our reunion.” He revealed.

Sairaj Bahutule to work with Rajasthan Royals’ international and Indian bowlers

Bahutule, the 52-year-old, has featured in two Tests and eight ODIs for the national side. He has picked up five wickets across those ten encounters, but his first-class record of 630 wickets in 188 games besides 6176 runs always inspires the young generation.

He will work with the Rajasthan Royals’ bowlers throughout the year. Jofra Archer, the England pacer, Tushar Deshpande, whom the franchise got in the IPL 2025 mega auction from the Chennai Super Kings, Akash Madhwa,l and Fazalhaq Farooqi are part of the list.

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The two Sri Lankan spinners, Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga, and India’s Kumar Kartikeya are also part of the list.

RR is to join The Hundred for Trent Rockets

Speculation has grown that Manoj Badale, the lead owner of the RR franchise may re-enter the franchise auction of the Hundred and bid for the Trent Rockets team. The Trent Bridge-based side will go on sale on Monday (February 10). Badale is already in the United Kingdom and has displayed his interest in having a side in the ECB for the 100-ball event.

In addition, Badale and a few more franchises are expected to compete in the bidding process. Rajasthan Royals have already bought their two more sides in the Caribbean Premier League through the Barbados Royals and the SA20 League through the Paarl Royal. Only Southern Brave and Rockets will go in the e-auction from the Hundred.