NEW DELHI: Former Indian spinner Sunil Joshi is officially taking on the role of head spin bowling coach at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, with his tenure beginning on October 1st. The 55-year-old has already demonstrated his dedication, having actively participated in the recent Duleep Trophy and accompanied the India A squad for their matches against Australia A in Lucknow.
This significant appointment means the Punjab Kings will now be searching for a new assistant coach, as Joshi, a former left-arm spinner, was a key member of Ricky Ponting’s coaching team during the last Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
Several qualified individuals were considered for this prestigious position earlier in the year. However, Joshi’s extensive coaching background ultimately made him the top choice, surpassing other contenders such as Rakesh Dhruv and Nooshin Al Khadeer, who currently coaches the India U-19 women’s team.
Beyond his stint in the IPL, Joshi has a notable coaching career, having guided Uttar Pradesh in the domestic circuit and served as the spin bowling consultant for the Bangladesh national team.
Before Joshi’s appointment, Sairaj Bahutale held the spin bowling coach role at the CoE (formerly the National Cricket Academy, NCA). Bahutale departed to take on a similar position with the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2025 Indian Premier League season.
The Indian cricket board opened applications for this CoE position back in March. They specifically highlighted that the “role is integral to the development and performance enhancement of India’s spin bowling talent across all formats and age groups,” encompassing not only the India Senior Teams (Men & Women) but also India A, U-23, U-19, U-16, U-15 squads, and state association players training at the BCCI CoE.
In his new capacity, Joshi will collaborate closely with CoE Head VVS Laxman. Together, they aim to identify, nurture, and fine-tune future spin bowling prospects. Furthermore, his responsibilities will extend to providing consistent guidance and training to the current spin bowlers within the Indian national team and those attending the CoE programs.