Five-time Indian Premier League champions Mumbai Indians have appointed Zubin Bharucha as their new Director of Performance. The 56-year-old former first-class cricketer arrives with extensive experience, having previously served as team director for the Rajasthan Royals from 2008 to 2015. Following a brief period with the Delhi Daredevils, he returned to the Royals as Director of Cricket Operations, a position he held from 2018 until 2025.
During his tenure with Rajasthan, Bharucha earned recognition for his role in identifying and nurturing young Indian talent, including Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. In his new capacity at Mumbai, he is tasked with collaborating alongside head coach Mahela Jayawardene and the existing coaching staff. According to a franchise media release, Bharucha will work closely with the multi-disciplinary leadership group to manage all performance-related disciplines within the Mumbai Indians ecosystem, including the oversight of the team’s off-season programs.
This appointment comes as the franchise looks to revitalize its competitive standing. Since their last title victory in 2020, Mumbai Indians have struggled to maintain their former dominance, qualifying for the playoffs only twice in the subsequent seasons. This difficult stretch has included two last-place finishes and one ninth-place result. The report also notes that he then took over as the franchise’s Director of Cricket Operations from 2018 to 2025 after a short stint with Delhi Daredevils.
