Robin Uthappa is the latest addition to Mumbai Indians’ revamped coaching staff, having been appointed batting coach as the five-time champion continues to overhaul its backroom setup ahead of the IPL 2027 mini auction.
A member of India’s 2007 World T20-winning squad, Uthappa enjoyed a particularly fruitful stint with Kolkata Knight Riders, turning out 86 times for the franchise until 2019 and scoring just under 2,500 runs at a strike rate of 136. He moved to Rajasthan Royals for the 2020 season before bringing the curtain down on his IPL career with Chennai Super Kings in 2022. Later that year, he announced his retirement from all forms of Indian and international cricket.
Uthappa is one of four new appointments, with former New Zealand international Mitchell McClenaghan taking over as bowling coach, T. Dilip joining as fielding coach and Dhawal Kulkarni named development bowling coach.
McClenaghan is no stranger to Mumbai, having represented the franchise between 2015 and 2020 and been part of all four of its title-winning campaigns during that period. Dilip arrives after a successful stint with the India men’s team, where he was part of the coaching setup for the 2024 and 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup triumphs and the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy win.
Kulkarni, meanwhile, returns to familiar territory. A two-time IPL champion with Mumbai (2013 and 2020), the former India pacer represented the franchise across two spells, from 2008 to 2013 and again between 2020 and 2021.
The appointments are the latest in a series of changes at Mumbai, which has been busy reshaping its coaching hierarchy in recent weeks. On Thursday, the franchise parted ways with bowling coaches Lasith Malinga and Paras Mhambrey, along with fielding coach Carl Hopkinson.
Those exits followed Mahela Jayawardene’s departure from the head coach’s position, with Kieron Pollard stepping in to take charge. Uthappa’s arrival adds another piece to an increasingly unfamiliar coaching setup.
Mumbai was the first franchise to win five IPL titles, lifting the trophy in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. But the intervening years have been less kind. The franchise has not returned to the final since its last triumph in 2020 and finished ninth among 10 teams in IPL 2026.
With the December 16 player auction in Goa fast approaching, Mumbai has a new coaching group to settle and a squad to rebuild. The franchise, along with the other teams, must submit its retention and release lists by November 15.
Published on Oct 30, 2026
