Mahela Jayawardene Steps Down as Mumbai Indians Head Coach After Ten Seasons

Mahela Jayawardene has stepped down as head coach of Mumbai Indians, the Indian Premier League team said on Saturday, October 17, 2026. The move ends a link between the former Sri Lanka captain and the franchise that ran, in two spells, across ten seasons.

Jayawardene, 49, first took charge of Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2017 season. In that first spell, which ran to 2022, he guided the side to three IPL titles, in 2017, 2019 and 2020. Mumbai are five-time champions, and three of those titles came on his watch.

A second spell that did not match the first

After 2022, Jayawardene moved into a wider job as the franchise's global head of performance, working across its teams in other leagues. He returned as head coach in 2024, replacing Mark Boucher ahead of the 2025 season.

The return brought one strong year and one poor one. Mumbai reached the playoffs in 2025, finishing fourth and losing in the playoffs, Reuters reported. In 2026 the side fell away, finishing second from bottom in the league. That drop is the backdrop to Saturday's announcement. A coach who won three titles in his first spell could not repeat the run in his second, and the franchise now turns the page before the next season.

In a statement released by the team, Jayawardene said Mumbai Indians had been a very special part of his journey. He said the two sides had shared unforgettable moments and built something they could all be proud of, and that he leaves with immense pride in what they achieved together. He said the team will always hold a special place in his heart, and he wished it success in the years ahead.

Team owner Nita Ambani thanked him for his work. She said Jayawardene had made a significant contribution to Mumbai Indians over the years, and praised his calm leadership, integrity and deep love for the game.

What Mumbai do next

Mumbai now need a new head coach ahead of IPL 2027, and the search starts with a deadline close at hand. Cricbuzz reported the franchise will look for a replacement before the mid-November retention deadline for IPL 2027, when teams must settle the core of their squads.

The job is one of the biggest in franchise cricket. Mumbai are one of the league's most successful and most watched teams, and the next coach inherits a squad that finished near the bottom in 2026 and fans who expect a quick return to the playoffs. Whoever takes over will be measured against the standard Jayawardene set in his first spell: three titles in six seasons.

For Jayawardene, the exit closes a long chapter. He played international cricket for Sri Lanka for close to two decades, captained his country, and then built a second career in coaching that centred on Mumbai. Saturday's statement from both sides was warm, with no sign of a falling out. The parting reads as a franchise choosing a fresh start after a poor season, and a coach leaving a post he held, on and off, for a decade.