Mumbai Indians have reappointed Mahela Jayawardene as the head coach with immediate effect. The Sri Lankan legend will be replacing Mark Boucher, under whose guidance the team finished last in the points table. It was a tumultuous season for MI, where they relived Rohit Sharma of captaincy, but they didn't get the desired result. Jayawardene's association with the franchise goes a long back. He started off as a player before finding great success in the coaching role. When Mumbai Indians started diversifying their portfolio to leagues across the world, Jayawardene was promoted to a managerial position. But with things going haywire, the franchise have decided to thrust back the coaching responsibility. Where does he rank in the list of most successful coaches in the Indian Premier League?
Who Are Most Successful Coaches In IPL?
Stephen Fleming - Chennai Super Kings
Stephen Fleming and Chennai Super Kings have been the golden combinations of the Indian Premier League since 2009. Under Fleming's coaching, the franchise has won the title five times and qualified for all but one playoff. Fleming's emphasis on teamwork and consistency, coupled with the icy cool demeanour of MS Dhoni in his heydays, has been key to Chennai Super Kings' success in the IPL.
Mahela Jayawardene - Mumbai Indians
Mahela Jayawardene joined Mumbai Indians in 2017 and set the tone by winning the IPL championship in his first season. Two more titles followed, in 2019 and 2020 when Mumbai Indians became the first team to successfully defend the title. Jayawardene is hailed for his meticulous planning and unwavering attention to detail which has been integral to Mumbai Indians' storied success. Jayawardene shows immense belief in the young talents, which has earned him great admiration in the cricketing realm.
Ashish Nehra - Gujarat Titans
Gujarat Titans appointed the former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra as the main coach for their first season in the Indian Premier League. Not many were sold on having someone with no prior coaching experience to lead a team in the world's most competitive league. Nehra went on to prove everyone wrong, winning the entire thing in his first season, and then reaching the final in the subsequent season.
Trevor Bayliss - Kolkata Knight Riders
It was under the mentorship of Trevor Bayliss Kolkata Knight Riders broke the spell of doom to win the IPL title for the first time. Bayliss proved to be an astute tactician, and Gautam Gambhir an able commander who marshalled the troops with great composure. Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Chennai Super Kings by five wickets, thanks to a buoyant innings from Manvinder Bisla. Two years later in 2014, Bayliss and Gambhir delivered again, as Kolkata Knight Riders became only the second franchise to win the title twice.
Ricky Ponting - Mumbai Indians & Delhi Capitals
Ricky Ponting has had a fairly successful coaching career. He won the IPL title with Mumbai Indians in 2015, after beating Chennai Super Kings by 41 runs in a high-scoring clash. Ponting then moved on to Delhi Capitals, where he didn't win the title, but make them one of the most thrilling teams to watch.
