Former Mumbai Indians fielding coach James Pamment has said he was 'a little bit shocked' by Mahela Jayawardene's decision to step down as the franchise's head coach and backed Kieron Pollard as the most suitable candidate to take over the role. Pamment, who spent eight years working alongside Jayawardene at MI, shared his thoughts in an exclusive conversation.

Jayawardene's Unexpected Departure

Last week, Jayawardene ended his second stint as Mumbai Indians head coach, stepping away from the five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions. His first spell ran from 2017 to 2022, during which he guided MI to three IPL titles. The Sri Lankan legend had returned for a second stint before his surprise exit.

'I was a little bit shocked actually when I saw at the weekend that Mahela had decided to step down. I enjoyed a lot of years working alongside Mahela,' Pamment said. He added that Jayawardene was 'so passionate about Mumbai Indians, so passionate about the performance of the team' and was deeply invested in developing Indian players, many of whom are now representing the national side. 'I'm sort of out of the loop now, so I'm not sure what the inner workings are — so let's see,' he noted.

Why Pollard Stands Out

When asked about potential successors, Pamment pointed emphatically to Kieron Pollard, the big-hitting West Indian batter who began both his IPL playing career and coaching career at Mumbai Indians, most recently serving as the franchise's batting coach.

'Really, other than Kieron Pollard, I'm not sure who could take over. There's been lots of names mentioned, but for me, if Kieron feels he's ready to take it on, he'd be the man I'd give the job to,' Pamment said. He acknowledged that names such as Mike Hussey have been mentioned in discussions but stressed that Pollard 'bleeds blue and gold' and would command immediate respect from the players. 'He's definitely got the knowledge about playing T20 cricket, especially in the IPL. But let's see — the owners might have something else in mind,' he added.

The Clock Is Ticking for MI

Mumbai Indians have less than a month to appoint a new head coach before the IPL 2027 retention deadline, with the mini-auction scheduled to take place in Goa on 16 December. The coaching vacancy arrives at a critical juncture, as squad retention and auction strategy will directly shape the franchise's prospects for the upcoming season.

Zaheer Khan's New Challenge at CSK

Pamment also touched on the transition at Chennai Super Kings (CSK), where former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan — who previously worked with Jayawardene as director of cricket operations at MI — has assumed the head coach role following the departure of long-serving coach Stephen Fleming. It marks Zaheer's first head coach assignment at franchise level.

'It's going to be an interesting time for Zaheer here with Chennai. Retentions and squad building is something that is really important — it's your foundation for your season ahead,' Pamment observed. He described Zaheer as 'very good at bringing a team together, a very team cohesive type of person' from his time at Mumbai, and said the key would be assembling a support staff that complements his leadership style. 'As long as he's got the skill set coaches that can impact their knowledge and their wisdom on the players around him, I think he's got an opportunity to do really well,' Pamment concluded.

With two of the IPL's most storied franchises undergoing significant coaching changes simultaneously, the coming weeks will be pivotal in shaping the competitive landscape heading into IPL 2027.