The appointment of Sairaj Bahutule comes days before India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan, with Team India beginning preparations in Mullanpur and several young bowlers joining the nets.

New Role for Bahutule

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed former India cricketer Sairaj Bahutule as the spin-bowling coach of the Indian men’s cricket team ahead of the upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan.

Bahutule, who brings years of coaching experience across domestic and franchise cricket, will work with the national side across all three formats. His appointment fills a specialist role that had remained vacant within the Indian team setup.

The former leg-spinner most recently served with Punjab Kings during IPL 2026 and was previously part of the Rajasthan Royals coaching staff between 2018 and 2021.

In a statement released by the BCCI, Bahutule described the opportunity as a matter of immense pride and said he looked forward to contributing to Indian cricket once again, this time in a coaching capacity.

India Begin Preparations

The Indian squad has already assembled at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, where the Test against Afghanistan will be played from June 6 to June 10.

Several senior players, including KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav, were seen arriving at the venue as preparations gathered pace. The match marks India’s return to red-ball cricket after a lengthy gap and serves as an important assignment before a packed international calendar.

Training sessions are expected to intensify over the next few days, with coaches focusing on match readiness and workload management.

Second India-Afghanistan Test

The upcoming fixture will only be the second Test match between India and Afghanistan.

The two teams first met in the longest format in Bengaluru in 2018, a historic contest that doubled as Afghanistan’s maiden Test appearance. India, led at the time by Virat Kohli, secured a commanding innings-and-262-run victory.

While Afghanistan have gained considerable experience in international cricket since then, they enter the contest facing one of the strongest Test sides in world cricket.

Net Bowlers Join Camp

To assist India’s preparations, the BCCI has brought in seven net bowlers, including Auqib Nabi, Prince Yadav and Gurjapneet Singh.

Auqib Nabi arrives after a standout Ranji Trophy 2025-26 campaign, where he finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker and played a key role in Jammu and Kashmir’s title-winning run. He was also part of the Delhi Capitals setup during IPL 2026.

Prince Yadav, meanwhile, earned attention after claiming 16 wickets in 14 IPL matches this season. His performances recently earned him a place in India’s ODI squad, and he has now been drafted into the Test camp as well.

According to sources familiar with the preparations, the additional bowlers have been called up partly to ensure adequate practice opportunities for the batting group. The move also helps manage the workload of frontline pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna amid challenging weather conditions and a demanding recent schedule.

Fitness Watch on Hardik

Away from the Test preparations, attention remains on all-rounder Hardik Pandya, whose participation in the upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan depends on fitness clearance.

Pandya is expected to spend a week at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, where he will undergo fitness assessments, training drills and match-simulation exercises before potentially joining the ODI squad on June 11.

The Mumbai Indians captain endured an injury-interrupted IPL 2026 campaign, missing several matches due to back spasms. His last ODI appearance came in the Champions Trophy final in March 2025.

Rohit Status Unclear

There is also uncertainty surrounding Rohit Sharma’s fitness. Like Pandya, the Indian captain’s ODI selection was reportedly subject to medical clearance.

While reports suggest Rohit has been asked to report to the Centre of Excellence, there has been no official update regarding his fitness assessment. The veteran batter was recently seen attending the opening match of the T20 Mumbai League 2026.

Focus Turns to Mullanpur

For now, the spotlight remains on Mullanpur, where India’s preparations are gathering momentum. Bahutule’s appointment adds a new specialist voice to the coaching group, while the inclusion of promising domestic bowlers reflects the team management’s emphasis on quality preparation ahead of the Afghanistan Test.

With just days left before the first ball is bowled, India will be looking to fine-tune combinations and build momentum as the Afghanistan Test approaches.