Mumbai Indians have appointed former player Kieron Pollard as their new head coach ahead of the 2027 IPL season. The appointment comes after Mahela Jayawardene stepped down from the role on 17 October 2026.
Why the change
Mahela Jayawardene left his position as MI head coach on 17 October. Former MI fielding coach James Pamment, who worked with Jayawardene for eight years, had said publicly that he could not think of anyone other than Pollard to take over the role.
Pollard's journey with Mumbai Indians
- Joined MI as a player in 2010 and stayed with the franchise for 13 seasons, winning 5 IPL titles and 2 Champions League T20 titles.
- At the time of his IPL retirement in November 2022, he was MI's second-highest run-scorer in the IPL (3,915 runs) and had hit the most sixes for the franchise (223).
- Moved straight into a batting coach role with MI after retiring as a player.
Coaching changes across the IPL
The change comes in a busy period for IPL coaching staff. Stephen Fleming has left Chennai Super Kings as head coach, and Zaheer Khan, who was director of cricket operations at Mumbai Indians, has moved to a new role at Chennai Super Kings.
What's next
The IPL 2027 season is expected to start in the spring. The retention and auction process will follow.
Note: Appointment as reported on 26 October 2026. Career stats are as of Pollard's IPL retirement in 2022.