Same Roots, Shared Obsession: The Bhutra Twins’ Mystery-Spin Journey

Mystery spin always had an element of intrigue in Indian cricket. But the story of identical twins Rohan and Rahul Bhutra adds a twist. Born in Chennai, raised in Ahmedabad and now making their mark through club cricket, the 24-year-old brothers have built a shared journey around an unusual bowling skill.

While Rohan has already announced himself in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), Rahul continues to wait for his opportunity. Yet, their progress has been closely intertwined from the beginning.

From Chennai Roots to Ahmedabad

The Bhutra twins were born in Chennai. Their maternal grandparents had settled there after moving from Rajasthan for business. Their family later moved to Ahmedabad. That’s where their father ran a readymade garment business. Cricket, however, remained central to the family. Their father encouraged both brothers to pursue the sport, eventually making a major sacrifice when the twins’ cricketing ambitions took them back to Chennai.

After missing out on a district call-up in 2019, the brothers moved to Chennai and entered the city’s divisional cricket circuit. Their father sold his shop in Ahmedabad to support them.

How the Bhutras Discovered Mystery Spin

Interestingly, mystery spin was not always part of their plans. Rohan began as an orthodox off-spinner. His approach changed after watching Varun Chakravarthy’s exploits in the TNPL and becoming fascinated by the way the mystery spinner troubled batters.

Rahul, meanwhile, initially considered batting his stronger discipline. His bowling began attracting attention at club level when batters struggled to read his unusual deliveries. Both developed similar bowling actions naturally. Rahul has four variations, while Rohan has developed several more, using overspin and topspin to make his bowling effective even on flatter pitches.

A Helping Hand in Chennai

The twins’ progress was helped significantly by coaches at Cricket Drome in Thoraipakkam, Chennai. Srinath Suresh helped integrate them into the city’s competitive divisional cricket structure. While, coach Vignesh Krishnaraj became another important influence.

Vignesh backed the brothers when they were still playing lower-division cricket and helped arrange match fees as they worked towards establishing themselves. Their persistence caught attention of TNPL scouts. In 2023, Rohan got a contract to play for Dindigul Dragons. But didn’t feature in any game that year.

Rohan’s Breakthrough and IPL Exposure

Rohan’s association with Varun Chakravarthy proved particularly valuable. After making contact with Varun, he received bowling drills. That connection led to IPL opportunity. During the 2024 season, Rohan was asked to bowl to Kolkata Knight Riders batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi in a net session. His performance impressed the camp. This eventually earned him a stint as a KKR net bowler during their title-winning campaign.

The following year, both Bhutra brothers impressed Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill during a net session and were brought in as net bowlers for IPL 2025.

Two Twins, Two Slightly Different Weapons

Although their actions are remarkably similar, the brothers do not bowl exactly the same way. Rahul relies more on quicker arm speed and attacks the stumps, making bowled dismissals and LBWs a major part of his threat. Rohan make more turn and looks to challenge batters.

Their effectiveness together was evident in Chennai club cricket. During the 2025-26 season, Rohan claimed 30 wickets and Rahul 25. The Rising Stars gained promotion from the third division to the second.

Rohan Makes His TNPL Mark

The biggest breakthrough has now arrived for Rohan. Making his TNPL debut for Madurai Panthers in 2026, he produced figures of 2/9 against Salem Spartans to earn the Player of the Match award. He followed that with another Player of the Match performance, taking 2/23 against Dindigul Dragons.

Rahul is still waiting for his maiden TNPL appearance, but his brother’s success could serve as another reminder of what their unusual skill set can achieve.

A Journey Built Together

For the twins, cricket has never been about competing against each other. They describe themselves as each other’s closest confidants. They constantly discuss bowling, batting and the challenges of the game. Their story is therefore about more than identical appearances or identical bowling actions. It is about two brothers discovering the same obsession, developing their craft side by side and pushing each other towards a bigger stage.

Rohan is already making waves in the TNPL and Rahul is waiting for his chance. The Bhutra twins’ mystery-spin journey could still have plenty of chapters left to write.

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