14 September 2022 01:12 pm Views - 2778
Mahela Jayawardane has stepped down as the Mumbai Indians head coach in order to take up a broader role as the franchise's global head of performance. In his new position, Jayawardene will oversee the coaching and scouting at all the three teams the franchise owners now have - Mumbai Indians in the IPL, MI Emirates in the ILT20, and MI Cape Town in the SA20.
Zaheer Khan, earlier the director of cricket operations, is now the global head of cricket development for the three teams.
In a statement, the group said that the team management recognised the need for a central team at the helm of affairs because of the company's expansion to "ensure consistency […] on ethos, values, and learning, that have made MI one of the most loved cricket brands across the globe".
Elaborating on the roles and responsibilities of the two men who will be right at the top of the backroom staff, the statement said that Jayawardene would be involved with "overall strategic planning, the creation of an integrated global high-performance eco-system, as well as responsibility for each team's coaching and support structures, working closely with the team head coaches to ensure synergies, a consistent brand of cricket, and implementation of best practices set by MI."
In a statement, the group said that the team management recognised the need for a central team at the helm of affairs because of the company's expansion to "ensure consistency […] on ethos, values, and learning, that have made MI one of the most loved cricket brands across the globe".
Elaborating on the roles and responsibilities of the two men who will be right at the top of the backroom staff, the statement said that Jayawardene would be involved with "overall strategic planning, the creation of an integrated global high-performance eco-system, as well as responsibility for each team's coaching and support structures, working closely with the team head coaches to ensure synergies, a consistent brand of cricket, and implementation of best practices set by MI."
Calling the elevation "an absolute honour", Jayawardene said he looked forward "to this new responsibility to build a strong cohesive global brand of cricket".
"I'm happy to have Mahela and Zak as part of our global core team. Both have been an integral part of the MI family and embody the spirit of the cricket MI stands for," Akash Ambani, chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm, the owners of Mumbai Indians, said. "I'm confident that they would be able to ensure the same flows through all our teams globally and make a difference in the cricketing ecosystems across the globe."