Mumbai Indians appoint Zubin Bharucha as Director of Performance for IPL 2027
Mumbai Indians ended their humiliating run in IPL 2026, finishing ninth on the points table.
Mumbai Indians have made a significant addition to their support structure by appointing former Rajasthan Royals high-performance chief Zubin Bharucha as their new Director of Performance, as they look to rebuild their core ahead of the next Indian Premier League season.
This appointment comes after the five-time IPL champions finished ninth in the last edition of the IPL, winning only 4 out of their 9 matches despite having a star-studded lineup.
The announcement came on Saturday, with Bharucha all set to work for the Mumbai Indians franchise alongside its existing multidisciplinary leadership group.
The former champions have not won a single title over the past six years and have not qualified for a single final since 2020, when they last won it. Mumbai have swapped between captaincy options and coaches, but nothing has paid off for the Ambani-owned side.
Who is Zubin Bharucha?
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Bharucha is a former Indian first-class cricketer who represented Bombay and later played for Surrey. His Test cricket numbers as a right-handed opening batsman were not particularly impressive, but his career as a performance instructor has been far more successful.
Bharucha’s decision to transition from his career as a player to sports administration played a major role in his success. He spent years with the Rajasthan Royals, working in different leadership and development roles.
He later served as their Director of Cricket Operations after returning to the franchise in 2018, following two years as Technical Director with Delhi Daredevils (Now Delhi Capitals).
During his days with the Rajasthan Royals, he was involved in the development of young players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, while during his stint with the Delhi Daredevils, he had Sanju Samson under his wing.
Hence, it is evident that Bharucha’s expertise and experience extend far beyond conventional coaching. His role primarily involves identifying talent and creating pathways that enable young cricketers to develop and reach the highest level.
His appointment by the Mumbai Indians clearly indicates that, rather than relying solely on star players, MI are focusing on grooming young talents. Mumbai, over the years, have given rise to players like Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma, who went on to chase global stardom.
When was the last time Mumbai Indians won the IPL?
Mumbai Indians’ last IPL triumph came in the 2020 season under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy.
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Subhomoy Datta has been a sports writer since 2022. He holds a BSc in Microbiology from Rastraguru Surendranath College, WBSU, and is currently pursuing his master’s at NIT Surathkal. With a growing interest in sports journalism, he enjoys following the game closely and turning sporting moments into stories for fans.