Mumbai Indians have appointed Zubin Bharucha as their new Director of Performance, expanding his role across all verticals of the franchise’s cricket ecosystem. The appointment comes as MI looks to strengthen its leadership and player-development structure after going six IPL seasons without winning the title. Bharucha arrives at Mumbai Indians with extensive experience in cricket operations and player development.
The former Mumbai and Surrey domestic cricketer most recently served as Rajasthan Royals’ Director of Cricket Operations, a position he held from 2018 until the 2025/26 season. Mumbai Indians confirmed that Bharucha will work alongside the franchise’s existing multi-disciplinary leadership team and support staff. His primary focus will be on performance, development, and building a stronger pathway for players across the MI setup.
“Zubin Bharucha joins Mumbai Indians as Director of Performance.” Bharucha began his playing career as an overseas cricketer for Reigate Priory Cricket Club in England at the age of 18. He later represented Bombay, featuring in 17 first-class matches and 11 List A games as a right-handed opening batter.
ALSO READ: Gautam Gambhir Breaks Silence On Kuldeep Yadav Ahead Of 2nd Test vs Sri Lanka
After his playing career, Bharucha established the World Cricket Academy in Mumbai, where several prominent cricketers trained. He was also involved in technical work with the England and Wales Cricket Board and worked closely with Yuvraj Singh to improve his footwork.
🚨 Mumbai Indians have appointed Zubin Bharucha as Director of Performance
An MI statement confirms that Bharucha will “will work closely with the existing multi-disciplinary leadership group across all performance disciplines within the MI ecosystem.”#IPL #MumbaiIndians pic.twitter.com/qyViPLC0Dd
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) August 22, 2026
His IPL experience dates back to 2008, when he became part of the Rajasthan Royals setup. He remained associated with the franchise until 2015 and also served as coach in 2012. Bharucha later joined Delhi Daredevils, now Delhi Capitals, as technical director before returning to Rajasthan in 2018.
During his second stint with RR, Bharucha played an important role in developing the franchise’s cricket academies across India. Several promising players, including Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal, benefited from the franchise’s development structure. His arrival at Mumbai Indians could therefore have a significant impact beyond the IPL team, particularly in identifying and developing talent across the wider MI ecosystem.
ALSO READ: Kris Srikkanth Warns Michael Hussey Against Leaving CSK To Join Stephen Fleming
The franchise now faces several important decisions ahead of IPL 2027, including questions surrounding senior players such as Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya. With the mini-auction also approaching, Bharucha’s experience in player development and cricket operations could prove valuable as MI attempts to rebuild and challenge for another IPL title.
