Mumbai Indians (MI) head coach Mahela Jayawardene has stepped down from his position ahead of the Indian Premier League 2027. Jayawardene was first appointed the MI head coach in IPL 2017 and stayed with the franchise for a decade in various roles.
Under his leadership, Mumbai Indians won three IPL titles in 2017, 2019 and 2020. The development comes after MI had a poor outing in the IPL 2026, where the team finished ninth on the points table. He was appointed the head coach for the second time before IPL 2025, replacing Mark Boucher, after the team’s inconsistent performances. From 2022-2024, the veteran served as MI’s global head of performance, overseeing MI’s three other franchises, MI Emirates in the ILT20, MI New York in MLC and MI Cape Town in SA20.
MI owner Nita Ambani hailed Jayawardene’s contribution to and thanked the Sri Lanka great for his unwavering commitment over the years.
“Mahela has made a significant contribution to Mumbai Indians over the years. His calm leadership, integrity and deep love for the game have meant so much to us,” team owner Nita Ambani said. “On behalf of the entire MI family, I want to thank Mahela for his immense contribution and unwavering commitment over the years. We will always cherish the journey we have shared and the memories we have created together.”
Meanwhile, Jayawardene said that his stint with MI will carry a special place in his heart. “I leave with immense pride in what we have achieved together and will always carry a special place in my heart for MI. I wish the team every success in the years ahead,” Jayawardene said.
With retention deadline approaching, MI will have to quickly finalise the new head coach. Kieron Pollard as assistant coach and Paras Mhambrey as bowling coach are still part of the coaching set-up.