Mumbai, August 22, 2026: Mumbai Indians have appointed former Rajasthan Royals staffer Zubin Bharucha as their new Director of Performance, as the IPL franchise looks to strengthen its player development and performance structure.

Bharucha, 56, will work alongside Mumbai Indians’ existing multidisciplinary support staff and leadership team across various performance-related areas. The franchise said his appointment would build on its established approach to player development and sustained excellence.

Bharucha previously worked with the Rajasthan Royals and brings extensive experience in cricket performance and player development to the Mumbai-based franchise.

The appointment comes after a difficult 2026 IPL season for Mumbai Indians, who finished ninth in the league standings. The five-time champions struggled throughout the campaign, losing 10 of their 14 matches and extending their title drought to six years.

Mumbai’s individual performances were also below expectations. Ryan Rickelton was the team’s highest run-scorer but finished only 17th in the overall batting charts, while leg-spinner Allah Ghazanfar was their leading wicket-taker at 14th among the season’s bowlers.

The team’s leadership, particularly captain Hardik Pandya, also came under scrutiny following the disappointing campaign.

With Bharucha joining the support structure, Mumbai Indians will hope to improve their player development, performance systems and overall consistency ahead of the next IPL season.