Last Updated:
Sunil Joshi leaves Punjab Kings, likely to join BCCI Centre of Excellence as spin bowling coach, replacing Sairaj Bahutule.
Sunil Joshi (R) with PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting (L)
Sunil Joshi has decided to part ways with Punjab Kings (PBKS) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The former Indian cricketer, a part of Ricky Ponting-led support staff, has reportedly informed the franchise about his inability to continue on Sunday.
According to IANS, Joshi is likely to take over as the spin bowling coach at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE). He represented India in 15 Tests and 69 ODIs between 1996 and 2002. He was a part of the Punjab Kings coaching staff as a spin bowling coach before IPL 2023 began.
“There were people like Nooshin Al Khadeer, Rakesh Dhruv, Pritam Gandhe and Saurasish Lahiri in contention, but Joshi’s elite expertise as a coach in domestic, international and IPL teams, apart from being a Test player, made him a standout pick for the role,” IANS quoted a source as saying.
“Once his offer at the CoE was confirmed, Joshi stepped down from his role at Punjab Kings, which came to light on Monday afternoon. He will now link up with the CoE,” it added.
Joshi would replace Sairaj Bahutule, who joined the Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2025, at the CoE. The former recently worked with the India ‘A’ side as bowling coach during their red-ball and white-ball series against Australia ‘A’ in Lucknow and Kanpur.
He has also coached Uttar Pradesh during the domestic season and previously served as the spin consultant for the Bangladesh men’s team.
At the CoE, Joshi’s role will be crucial in nurturing India’s next generation of spinners. He is expected to mentor leading national and domestic spinners, including Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Ravi Bishnoi.
His vast experience as a former international spinner and coach across multiple levels is expected to help build a strong and sustainable ecosystem for spin bowling in India, ensuring a steady supply of skilled spinners for future national teams.
(With Agency Inputs)
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had …Read More
A cricket enthusiast whose dreams of playing for India paved the way for a compelling journey in journalism. With a comprehensive coverage spanning international and domestic cricket across formats, I have had … Read More
October 06, 2025, 20:58 IST
Read More
