Mumbai Indians Hand Kieron Pollard the Head Coach Job Ahead of IPL 2027

Kieron Pollard's long Mumbai Indians story has a new chapter. The franchise announced on Saturday that the former West Indies all-rounder will take over as head coach ahead of the 2027 Indian Premier League season, stepping up from his role as batting coach to replace Mahela Jayawardene at the helm of the five-time champions. Pollard joined Mumbai as a 22-year-old and has now spent 16 years with the franchise, first as a destructive middle-order batter and finisher, and more recently as part of the coaching staff shaping its next generation. In his reaction to the appointment, Pollard thanked co-owners Nita Ambani and Akash Ambani and the wider Mumbai Indians family, and spoke of building on the team's legacy while developing its young talent. The move keeps one of the IPL's most recognisable figures at the centre of the franchise's plans, with a full season to prepare before he leads the side out as head coach in 2027.