Mumbai Indians have announced Mahela Jayawardene as their new Head Coach. Jayawardene was part of the MI camp as the Global Head of Cricket and replaced Mark Boucher as the MI Head Coach. It is worth noting that, the former Sri Lanka captain was the Head Coach of MI from 2017 to 2022. During his tenure, the team won three titles in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
The veteran was named as the Global Head of Cricket in 2022 and was responsible for overlooking MI’s global teams across different leagues. One of the owners of the MI, Akash Ambani shared the news and added that the leadership, knowledge, and passion of Jayawardene has always been beneficial for the franchise.
“We are thrilled to have Mahela back as the Head Coach of Mumbai Indians. With our global teams having found their footing within their ecosystems, the opportunity to bring him back to MI arose. His leadership, knowledge, and passion for the game have always benefited MI. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Mark Boucher for his contribution over the last two seasons. His expertise and dedication were pivotal during his time, and has now become an integral member of the MI family,” said Akash as quoted by India Today.
The 47-year-old was part of Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and Delhi Capitals in his six-year-long career as a player in IPL. He has played 80 games and has aggregated 1802 runs at an average of 28.60 with 10 half-centuries and one ton. After being re-appointed as the Head Coach, he termed the appointment as an exciting challenge and vowed to take the legacy of the franchise forward.
“My journey within the MI family has always been one of evolution. In 2017, the focus was on bringing together a talented group of individuals to play the best cricket ever and we did very well. Now to return, at the same moment in history, where we look ahead at the future and the opportunity to further strengthen the love of MI, build on the vision of the owners, and continue to add to the history of Mumbai Indians, is an exciting challenge I am looking forward to,” said Jayawardene.