IPL 2027: Mumbai Indians appoint Uthappa, McClenaghan, T Dilip, Kulkarni to coaching staff
In Short
Mumbai Indians announce a revamped coaching staff for IPL 2027, appointing Robin Uthappa as batting coach, Mitchell McClenaghan as bowling coach, T. Dilip as fielding coach and Dhawal Kulkarni as development bowling coach under head coach Kieron Pollard.
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IPL 2027: Mumbai Indians appoint Uthappa, McClenaghan, T Dilip, Kulkarni to coaching staff
Mumbai: Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday announced a revamped coaching group for the 2027 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, appointing former India batter Robin Uthappa as batting coach, Mitchell McClenaghan as bowling coach, T. Dilip as fielding coach and Dhawal Kulkarni as development bowling coach under new head coach Kieron Pollard.
The appointments follow Pollard’s elevation to head coach after Jayawardene’s departure. Pollard, whose association with Mumbai Indians spans 16 years, will lead the revamped coaching group as the franchise prepares for IPL 2027.
Earlier on Thursday, the franchise announced that bowling coaches Lasith Malinga and Paras Mhambrey, along with fielding coach Carl Hopkinson, would be leaving the men’s team setup.
The new group combines familiar faces from Mumbai Indians’ playing history with coaching experience at the international level, as the franchise looks to build its support staff ahead of the upcoming season.
Uthappa, a member of India’s victorious squad at the inaugural ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2007, returns to the franchise where he played during the inaugural IPL season in 2008. The former India batter featured for six franchises during his IPL career, scoring 4,411 runs in 177 matches at a strike rate of 130.50, including 24 half-centuries.
He won the Orange Cap in 2014 after scoring 660 runs for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), helping them secure the title that season. He also won the IPL with Chennai Super Kings in 2021 before retiring from the league in September 2022.
McClenaghan, meanwhile, reunites with the Mumbai Indians after representing the franchise between 2015 and 2020. The New Zealand pacer was part of four IPL-winning campaigns with MI, in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020, and will now take charge of the team’s bowling unit.
Dilip joins the franchise after a successful stint with the India men’s team. He was part of the coaching setup during India’s triumphs at the 2024 and 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cups and the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. His appointment is expected to strengthen the team’s fielding standards and preparation.
Kulkarni, a two-time IPL champion with Mumbai Indians in 2013 and 2020, returns after representing the franchise across two spells, from 2008 to 2013 and again in 2020-21. In his development bowling role, he will focus on nurturing young Indian bowlers and supporting the franchise’s talent development programme throughout the year.
