Overview
- The franchise announced the hire on October 23, confirming Bahutule’s addition to an otherwise retained coaching group under head coach Ricky Ponting.
- Bahutule takes over from Sunil Joshi, who served from 2023 to 2025 and has moved to the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
- PBKS said Bahutule will contribute to player-retention decisions, with a tentative deadline of November 15 reported by multiple outlets.
- Auction planning for IPL 2026 is part of his brief, with the event widely reported to be slated for mid-December, pending formal BCCI confirmation.
- A first-class stalwart and experienced coach, Bahutule has previously worked with Kerala, Gujarat, Vidarbha, Bengal, the Rajasthan Royals, and the BCCI Centre of Excellence.