Mumbai: Mumbai Indians have announced a major overhaul of their coaching staff ahead of the IPL 2027 season, with bowling coaches Lasith Malinga and Paras Mhambrey, along with fielding coach Carl Hopkinson, set to leave the franchise. The five-time IPL champions confirmed the departures on Thursday.
The development comes after former captain and Sri Lankan cricket legend Mahela Jayawardene stepped down as head coach, with former West Indies star Kieron Pollard taking over the role. The changes signal a fresh direction for Mumbai Indians as they prepare for the next IPL season.
Malinga has been one of the most influential figures in Mumbai Indians’ history. The Sri Lankan pace legend played a key role in the franchise’s four IPL title victories and its 2011 Champions League T20 triumph.
After retiring from professional cricket, Malinga continued his association with the franchise in mentoring and coaching roles. He also served as Rajasthan Royals’ bowling coach before returning to Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2024 season. His departure marks the end of a long-standing relationship with the team.
Former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey is another major departure from the Mumbai Indians coaching setup. He was associated with the franchise from 2010 to 2017 before returning to the team ahead of the 2025 season.
Mhambrey served as India’s bowling coach from 2021 to 2024, a period that included the country’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2024. At Mumbai Indians, he worked alongside Malinga in the bowling department, bringing extensive experience in player development and bowling strategy.
English coach Carl Hopkinson has also left the franchise. He joined Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2025 season, bringing experience from his work with England’s men’s team.
As the team’s fielding coach, Hopkinson was responsible for helping improve fielding standards and performance on the field. His departure completes the latest round of changes to Mumbai Indians’ coaching personnel.
With the new coaching leadership in place, attention will now turn to whether Mumbai Indians make further changes to their support staff ahead of IPL 2027. The franchise has yet to announce replacements for the three departing coaches.
