Mumbai, October 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Newly appointed Mumbai Indians head coach Kieron Pollard has acknowledged that the five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions have not lived up to their fans’ expectations in recent seasons, saying the first step towards a revival is to recognise the shortcomings and work towards restoring the team’s identity.
Pollard, who served as Mumbai Indians’ batting coach for the past four IPL seasons, takes over from Mahela Jayawardene, who parted ways with the franchise last weekend. The former West Indies all-rounder has been associated with Mumbai Indians and their sister franchises since IPL 2010, when he joined the team as a player.
A key member of all five of Mumbai Indians’ IPL title-winning campaigns in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020, Pollard also featured in the franchise’s Champions League T20 triumphs in 2011 and 2013.
In a video shared on the franchise’s social media accounts on Saturday, Pollard said the team needed to acknowledge its recent struggles before beginning the process of rebuilding.
“You understand as a team that we have not been as great as you want us to be, and that’s something the first step to getting better is acknowledging,” he said.
Recognising the unwavering support of the franchise’s fans, popularly known as the ‘Paltan’, Pollard expressed hope that the team would recapture its winning spirit and deliver performances that revive memories of its successful years.
He said Mumbai Indians wanted to rediscover their trademark fearlessness and bring renewed energy to the field, while also building connections with a new generation of cricketers and supporters.
Pollard played 189 IPL matches, scoring 3,412 runs at a strike rate of 147.32 and taking 69 wickets. He played his last IPL season in 2022 before retiring from the league ahead of the 2023 edition and moving into the role of batting coach.
Outlining his priorities as head coach, Pollard said his immediate focus would be to identify the areas requiring improvement and rebuild the team’s spirit and connection with its supporters, particularly at Mumbai’s home ground, Wankhede Stadium.
He said the sight of the franchise’s blue colours and the passion of its fans should once again become defining features of the atmosphere at the venue.
Pollard acknowledged that Mumbai Indians had struggled to achieve their desired results in recent years and said there was no point in avoiding that reality. He stressed that the team must put collective interests ahead of individual ambitions and make playing for the franchise badge its priority.
Since winning the IPL title in the UAE in 2020, Mumbai Indians have not secured another championship. Although they reached the playoffs in 2023 and 2025, the team finished 10th in 2024 and ninth in 2026.
Pollard said understanding the team’s identity and the expectations attached to representing Mumbai Indians would be central to the rebuilding process. He added that revisiting the principles behind the franchise’s past success could help it move forward.
The former West Indies star also admitted that taking charge of the team was still sinking in, given the journey that had brought him from being a player to occupying the head coach’s position.
He described the appointment as a surreal experience, reflecting on how much had changed during his 15-16 years with the franchise. Pollard said he wanted to repay the organisation and its supporters for the opportunities and support he had received over the years.
Known for his competitive intensity on the field, Pollard insisted that his hunger to win would remain unchanged in his new role, even if he would now have to channel that energy from the dugout.
He also credited Jayawardene for playing an important role in shaping his understanding of cricket. Pollard said their association began as opponents, when Jayawardene was representing and captaining Sri Lanka, before developing into a coach-player relationship and later a partnership within Mumbai Indians’ coaching staff.
Praising Jayawardene’s tactical precision, detailed planning and ability to motivate players in different ways, Pollard said the experience of working with him had helped shape several members of the Mumbai Indians setup and contributed to the franchise’s success.
Pollard added that serving as Jayawardene’s assistant and batting coach had allowed him to gain valuable knowledge and learn different perspectives on the game.
Now tasked with leading Mumbai Indians into their next phase, Pollard will aim to translate those lessons into a revival for a franchise seeking to return to the heights it reached during its title-winning years.
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