 "Sairaj Bahutule and Sitanshu Kotak")
The cameras consistently panned to two people in the Indian dressing room, who were seen giving instructions to the batter at the start of the Indian chase and conversing animatedly with the likes of Avesh Khan when India were bowling. These two are the head coach and bowling coach of the Indian team for the Ireland series.
While they might be new to television cameras, they are no strangers to cricket; they are seasoned professionals who operate behind the scenes to guide what many call the new kids on the block. Sitanshu Kotak, the head coach of India for the Ireland tour of 2023, travelled with the team to the same country in 2022, but as an assistant to VVS Laxman.
Why was Kotak appointed head coach this time around?
Previously, VVS Laxman was slated to be the head coach of the team in Rahul Dravid's absence, just like the last time. However, at the National Cricket Academy, where Laxman, Sitanshu, and Bahutule train both the young talents and senior players undergoing rehabilitation, Laxman was required for a high-performance camp involving rising stars of India like Dhruv Jurle, Aakash Singh, Abhishek Sharma, among others.
Consequently, Sitanshu, who is one of the top candidates to be appointed as head coach of the India women's team, was put in charge of the Ireland tour. A source close to the BCCI revealed that Sitanshu would handle the responsibility of guiding the young team.
"Kotak (Sitanshu) and Sairaj Bahutule (bowling coach) will travel with Jasprit Bumrah & Co for the three-match T20I series (from August 18-23)," TOI quoted the sources as saying.
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Who is Sitanshu Kotak?
A domestic stalwart, Sitanshu amassed 8061 first-class runs for Saurashtra in a career spanning two decades. Making his debut in the 1992/93 season, he scored 65 in his last First-Class innings among the 211 he played in 130 games for Saurashtra and West Zone, as well as for the Rest of India and Warwickshire in English county cricket.
After retiring as a player, the left-handed batter turned to coaching, working extensively with India U-19, India A, and young players at the NCA. He also toured with India A to South Africa and Bangladesh.
Who is Sairaj Bahutule?
Sairaj Bahutule has been one of the finest spinners in the Indian domestic circuit but unfortunately, he was unable to replicate his domestic success at the international level.
The leg-break bowler played two Tests and eight ODIs between 1997 and 2003. However, he did play 188 First-Class matches between 1991 and 2013 and picked 630 first-class wickets. Bahutule, who is now 50, was also the bowling coach of the India Under-19 side that clinched the World Cup in the Caribbean in early 2022. Alongside Sitanshu, he has worked with VVS Laxman at the NCA.
A native of Mumbai, Bahutule played for Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Maharashtra, and Surrey in England as well.
