Five-time champions Mumbai Indians have appointed former West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard as their head coach for the IPL 2027 season. The franchise announced the decision on Saturday, October 24, with Pollard replacing Mahela Jayawardene, who stepped down after MI finished ninth in IPL 2026.

Mumbai have built their success around experienced players, continuity and a strong team culture. Their five IPL titles came in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. Pollard played a key role in that successful period before moving into coaching. He will now aim to return the franchise to title contention.

Kieron Pollard’s Playing Career and Rise to Head Coach

Kieron Pollard spent his entire 13-season IPL playing career with Mumbai Indians after joining the franchise in 2010. He helped the team win five IPL titles, contributing with both his power-hitting and medium-pace bowling.

The former West Indies international scored 3,412 runs in 189 IPL matches at a strike rate of 147.32. He is Mumbai’s third-highest run-scorer in the tournament. His performances played an important part in the franchise’s five title-winning campaigns.

After retiring from the IPL in November 2022, Pollard moved directly into Mumbai’s coaching setup as batting coach. He spent four seasons working with the team’s batters, including its middle- and lower-order finishers, under Mark Boucher and Jayawardene.

Pollard now faces the challenge of restoring Mumbai Indians to title contention after a difficult run. The franchise has not won the IPL since 2020 and has missed the playoffs in four of the six seasons since its last championship.

Mumbai Indians Coaching History

Mumbai Indians appointed Lalchand Rajput as their first head coach in 2008. The team finished fifth and narrowly missed the playoffs. Shaun Pollock took over in 2009 after transitioning from player to coach, but Mumbai finished seventh.

Robin Singh then led the franchise from 2010 to 2012, guiding the team to its first IPL final in 2010 and helping establish greater consistency. John Wright took charge in 2013 and delivered Mumbai’s maiden IPL title and the Champions League T20 trophy in the same year.

Ricky Ponting succeeded him in 2015 and helped the franchise win its second IPL title in his first season as head coach. Mahela Jayawardene began his first coaching stint in 2017 and led Mumbai through one of the most successful periods in its history.

Under his leadership, the franchise won IPL titles in 2017, 2019 and 2020. He stepped down after the 2022 season to take up a global role within the Mumbai Indians setup. Mark Boucher took over for the 2023 and 2024 seasons as the franchise went through a transition. Jayawardene returned for the 2025 season and remained in charge in 2026.

Across his two stints, he oversaw 121 matches and recorded 64 wins. However, Mumbai’s ninth-place finish in IPL 2026 brought his second stint to an end. Pollard succeeds him after four seasons as Mumbai’s batting coach.

IPL 2027 Head Coaches: Full List of Teams and Coaches

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have appointed Zaheer Khan as their head coach for IPL 2027, while Mumbai Indians will be led by Kieron Pollard following his promotion from batting coach. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will have Andy Flower in charge, while Abhishek Nayar will lead Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Punjab Kings (PBKS) will be coached by Ricky Ponting, while Kumar Sangakkara will lead the Rajasthan Royals (RR) coaching setup.

Gujarat Titans (GT) will continue under Ashish Nehra, and Sourav Ganguly will serve as Delhi Capitals’ (DC) head coach. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will have Justin Langer in charge, while Daniel Vettori will lead Sunrisers Hyderabad.