The news was confirmed through an official statement on the MI website.
In a recent development, five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Mumbai Indians have announced a new coach ahead of the upcoming season. The news was confirmed through an official press release on the MI website.
Former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene will replace Mark Boucher, who was in charge for the last two seasons in 2023 and 2024 respectively. Notably, the Sri Lankan legend also previously served as Mumbai’s head coach from 2017 to 2022.
During the initial phase of his tenure, Mumbai Indians clinched their third IPL championship in 2017, establishing themselves as the most successful franchise in the league. Under Jayawardene’s guidance, the team further expanded its collection by winning two additional titles in 2019 and 2020, taking its total to five trophies, a record only equaled by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) since then.
ALSO READ: Punjab Kings (PBKS) batsman scores fantastic ton, propelling his team to good total in Ranji Trophy
MI did not live up to its potential under Mark Boucher
However, under Mark Boucher, the five-time champions have not reached their full potential, reaching the playoffs in 2023 before falling in the league stage last year.
Despite the disappointment of the fans, they replaced captain Rohit Sharma with all-rounder Hardik Pandya. However, this change did not improve their performance in IPL 2024, where they lost 10 out of 14 league matches and finished last in the 10-team competition.
Speaking after the development, Jayawardene said: “My journey within the MI family has always been one of evolution. In 2017, the focus was on bringing together a talented group of people to play the best cricket of all time and we did very well. Now, to return, at the same moment in history, where we look to the future and the opportunity to further strengthen the love for MI, build on the vision of the owners and continue to contribute to the history of Mumbai Indians, is an an exciting challenge that I look forward to.”
For more updates, follow Cricxtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram and YouTube.