Former Rajasthan Royals high-performance coach Steffan Jones will join Mumbai Indians as a bowling consultant for the IPL 2027 season. According to The Times of India, the 52-year-old will work with the franchise’s development squad alongside newly appointed director of performance Zubin Bharucha.
Mumbai endured a difficult 2026 season under captain Hardik Pandya and then-head coach Mahela Jayawardene. They finished ninth with four wins and 10 defeats in 14 matches, collecting eight points and recording a net run rate of -0.584. The result marked their second consecutive season without a playoff berth.
Steffan Jones to Work With Lasith Malinga and Paras Mhambrey
Steffan Jones will join Mumbai Indians as a specialist bowling consultant. The Welshman previously worked as Rajasthan Royals’ fast-bowling coach during the 2019 IPL season.
He returned to the franchise ahead of IPL 2022 as a high-performance fast-bowling coach. Jones also played first-class cricket in the English county circuit between 1997 and 2011. He and Bharucha will focus on working with Indian players during the ongoing domestic season.
Steffan Jones recently helped India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy improve his bowling speed. Reddy, who previously bowled in the mid-120s, has since been consistently clocking deliveries in the mid-130s.
Mumbai Indians Look to Recover From Disappointing IPL 2026 Campaign
The campaign began positively with a win over Kolkata Knight Riders, giving Mumbai their first season-opening victory since 2012.
However, four consecutive defeats against Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings derailed their momentum. A 99-run victory over Gujarat Titans briefly revived their playoff hopes, but another three-match losing streak left them struggling again.
A loss to RCB confirmed their elimination, and subsequent defeats against KKR and Rajasthan sealed ninth place. Despite the team's struggles, several batters delivered strong individual performances.
Ryan Rickelton led Mumbai's scoring with 448 runs in 12 matches at a strike rate of 186.67. Tilak Varma scored 359 runs in 14 matches, including a century against Gujarat Titans, while Naman Dhir contributed 318 runs at a strike rate of 147.22. Rohit Sharma added 283 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 157.22.
The bowling attack, however, struggled to deliver consistent breakthroughs, with Jasprit Bumrah enduring a relatively quiet season in terms of wickets. Young Afghan spinner Allah Ghazanfar emerged as Mumbai's leading wicket-taker with 15 dismissals.
Mumbai Indians Restructure Coaching Setup for IPL 2027
Mumbai have made several changes to their coaching hierarchy after their disappointing campaign. Kieron Pollard has replaced Mahela Jayawardene as head coach, while Bharucha has joined as director of performance. Steffan Jones will focus on fast-bowling development.
The franchise is also expected to make decisions regarding its captaincy and Hardik Pandya's potential trade in the coming weeks.
With Steffan Jones and Bharucha tasked with working closely with Indian players during the domestic season, Mumbai will look to strengthen their resources before IPL 2027. The franchise hopes the revamped setup will help it return to playoff contention after two consecutive seasons outside the top four.
Also read: Mumbai Indians coaches list: From Lalchand Rajput to Kieron Pollard (2008 to 2027)
