Mahela Jayawardene returns to Mumbai Indians as head coach

Rohit Sharma, Mahela Jayawardene (Pic: File Pic)

Five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Mumbai Indians (MI) have appointed former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene as their head coach ahead of the IPL 2025.

Mahela Jayawardene played a similar role in the franchise's history from 2017 to 2022. He was part of their 2017, 2019 and 2020-21 title-winning squads.

Mahela Jayawardene replaced former South Africa cricketer Mark Boucher who was head coach for two years.

Mumbai Indians qualified for the knockouts in the 2023 edition but endured a poor run this year, finishing last with only four wins in 14 matches.

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"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," Jayawardene said in a release issued by the franchise.

"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," Mahela Jayawardene added.

In the 2024 edition of the IPL, the snub of Rohit Sharma from the captaincy role and handing it over to Hardik Pandya evoked a major controversy among the fans. Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya faced trolls on social media and boos in every stadium the team has played their matches.

Ahead of the IPL 2025, there have been speculations about Rohit Sharma leaving Mumbai Indians. Hardik Pandya returned to MI after captaining Gujarat Titan (GT) in the previous years. After his return to MI, Shubman Gill has been handed over the leadership duties of GT.

(With PTI Inputs)