Mumbai Indians announced on October 29, 2026 that Lasith Malinga, Paras Mhambrey and Carl Hopkinson will be moving on from their respective roles in the men’s team coaching setup, marking a substantial reshaping of the support staff at one of the IPL’s most storied franchises.
This comes as part of a major internal overhaul at the franchise, after former player Kieron Pollard was named head coach of the franchise in place of the departing Mahela Jayawardene.
“Mumbai Indians extend their heartfelt gratitude to Lasith, Paras and Carl for their contributions to the team and the wider MI family. Their commitment, the relationships they have built and the memories they have helped create will always be part of our journey. We wish each of them the very best in their future endeavours,” a statement from the franchise read.
Why are Malinga, Mhambrey and Hopkinson leaving Mumbai Indians?
Mumbai Indians have not publicly stated the reasons behind any of the three departures, but their decision ties to the lesser success seen by the franchise in the recent past. In the last three years, the franchise that has lifted the IPL Trophy a joint-record five times finished in the playoffs just once, sandwiched between 10th-placed and 9th-placed finishes.
There also remains speculation on the captaincy picture, following the tumultuous return of Hardik Pandya in a trade deal in 2024. Pandya was made captain of the team, but under the ace all-rounder, the side has managed a place in the playoffs just once in three seasons.
What did each departing coach contribute to Mumbai Indians?
Lasith Malinga is regarded as one of the most iconic figures in Mumbai Indians’ history. The Sri Lankan fast-bowling legend spent 11 years as a player at the franchise, appearing in 139 matches and claiming 195 wickets at an economy rate of 7.12 before retiring in 2021. Lasith’s role in spearheading MI’s bowling attack was central to four IPL title triumphs in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019, and he played a defining part in the franchise’s Champions League T20 victory in 2011. He served as MI’s mentor in 2018 before later returning to the setup as bowling coach.
Paras Mhambrey shared a long and valued association with Mumbai Indians across two separate spells, first from 2010 to 2017 and subsequently upon his return in 2024. He was part of the Indian team that lifted the T20 World Cup in 2024. Carl Hopkinson joined Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2025 season, having served as England’s fielding coach from 2018 and was part of the support staff for England’s ODI World Cup triumph in 2019 and their T20 World Cup victory in 2022.
