Mumbai Indians hire Robin Uthappa as batting coach in coaching overhaul
Mumbai Indians appointed former India batter Robin Uthappa as their batting coach on 30 October 2026 as part of a coaching overhaul ahead of the 2027 season. The five-time champions have brought Uthappa back to the franchise nearly two decades after he represented them in the inaugural 2008 IPL season.
The change follows a broader reshuffle of Mumbai's support staff after a disappointing IPL 2026 campaign in which they finished ninth and missed the playoffs. Kieron Pollard was promoted from batting coach to head coach, replacing Mahela Jayawardene, while the franchise has parted ways with bowling coach Lasith Malinga, Paras Mhambrey and fielding coach Carl Hopkinson.
Uthappa returns to Mumbai Indians in a coaching role after playing for the franchise in 2008, when he featured in 14 matches and scored 320 runs. The appointment brings a player with years of experience across franchise and international cricket into Mumbai’s coaching setup.
He has recent IPL ties with Chennai Super Kings, having represented CSK in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Uthappa contributed to CSK’s 2021 title-winning campaign, scoring 115 runs in four matches, including a 63 against Delhi Capitals in the second qualifier.
Across his IPL career Uthappa scored 4,952 runs in 205 matches at an average of 27.51 and a strike rate of 130.35, with 27 half-centuries and a highest score of 88. One of his most prolific campaigns came in 2014, when he finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 660 runs and won the Orange Cap while playing a key role in Kolkata Knight Riders’ title-winning season.
At international level, Uthappa represented India in 46 ODIs, scoring 934 runs, and in 13 T20Is, scoring 249 runs. He was part of India’s victorious 2007 T20 World Cup campaign and is remembered for his fearless approach at the top of the order.
With Uthappa returning to the franchise where his IPL career began, Mumbai have added an experienced batter to their coaching ranks as they rebuild their support staff and seek to strengthen the squad for the next edition.
