Mumbai Indians and head coach Mahela Jayawardene mutually ended their association on October 17, 2026, with the franchise citing a desire for a fresh perspective ahead of IPL 2027. Jayawardene, 49, guided MI to three IPL titles across two coaching stints. The team finished ninth in IPL 2026, and the franchise has confirmed a search for a new head coach is already underway.
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On 17 October 2026, the Mumbai Indians franchise confirmed that its working relationship with head coach Mahela Jayawardene had come to a close by agreement between both parties. The franchise's decision was announced as it heads into the upcoming IPL season, with the appointment intended to bring a different viewpoint into the setup.
His exit brings to a close a second period in charge — a tenure that began when he was reappointed in October 2024 to oversee the team through the 2025 and 2026 seasons — with the 49-year-old Sri Lankan having now stepped away from the head coach position. Sources inside the organisation indicate that a coaching search is underway, with several candidates having already gone through interviews and an appointment anticipated in the near term.
Guided by Jayawardene across his opening tenure with the franchise, Mumbai Indians lifted the IPL trophy on three separate occasions — in 2017, 2019, and 2020 — a body of silverware that placed the club among the more reliably competitive sides the tournament has produced. His responsibilities expanded to encompass the Global Head of Performance role in 2022, embedding him within MI's growing international structure, before the organisation turned to him again for the IPL head coach position in October 2024.
Two Champions League T20 trophies — claimed by Mumbai Indians in 2011 and again in 2013 — belonged to a period that predated any involvement from Jayawardene on the coaching staff. His reputation among IPL coaches took shape through the tactical calls he made in the heat of matches and the degree to which his teams delivered when it counted most.
Four wins across 14 outings left Mumbai Indians in ninth place on the IPL 2026 table. At Qualifier 2 in 2025, the squad put forward a stronger showing than in prior outings. Bringing in a new viewpoint formed part of broader attempts to strengthen the squad's makeup.
Pandya took the captaincy reins for that franchise across the 2026 IPL campaign. Unverified accounts have pointed to a possible shake-up in the captaincy arrangement ahead of IPL 2027, with Rohit Sharma among those under consideration to take over the leadership position while the franchise weighs a trade that would move Pandya elsewhere.
Pollard holds the batting coach role within the setup, while Malinga fills the bowling coach position. Zubin Bharucha took on the role of Director of Performance with the franchise in August 2026, part of a wider reshaping of the organisation's backroom team.
Following Jayawardene's departure, the Mumbai Indians organisation has turned its attention to appointing a head coach capable of returning the franchise to title contention in the Indian Premier League.