Mumbai Indians begin IPL 2026 pre-season training
Mumbai, March 16
Five-time champions Mumbai Indians officially commenced pre-season training on Monday, marking the first session of the Indian Premier League 2026 campaign.
Head coach Mahela Jayawardene led the session on the ground, joined by bowling coaches Paras Mhambrey and Lasith Malinga, fielding coach Carl Hopkinson, and the full strength and conditioning and physiotherapy support teams, according to a release.
Mahela Jayawardene, Head Coach, Mumbai Indians, said, "There's always something special about the first day of pre-season. You see the players walk in, the energy builds, and the objective is to start strong. We've got the boys who know this franchise inside out, and we have got some exciting new faces coming in.
"Day one sets the tone for the entire campaign. We wanted everyone to feel the intent from the very first session, in how we train, how we prepare, and how we show up for each other. The first session is always exciting, but it's also the start of something serious and we know what we're building towards," Jayawardene added.
The first group of players to arrive for training includes Shardul Thakur, Mayank Markande, Allah Ghazanfar, Naman Dhir, Raja Angad Bawa, Robin Minz, Raghu Sharma, Mayank Rawat, Danish Malewar, Mohammad Izhar and Ashwani Kumar.
The session opened with a structured fitness and conditioning block, with the S&C team putting players through their paces with movement drills, agility work, and fitness assessments.
The remainder of the squad is expected to join the camp in the coming days as preparations build in intensity ahead of the tournament.
Mumbai Indians squad for IPL 2026 season:
Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ryan Rickleton, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa, Raghu Sharma, Mitchell Santner, Corbin Bosch, Naman Dhir, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Allah Ghafanzar, Ashwani Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Will Jacks, Sherfane Rutherford, Mayank Markande, Shardul Thakur, Quinton de Kock, Danish Malewar, Mohammad Izhar, Atharva Ankolekar, Mayank Rawat.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good to see the preparations starting early. The squad looks strong on paper, but I hope the team management has a clear plan for the captaincy situation. Last season's dynamics seemed off. Wishing the boys all the best for a fresh start!
Exciting to see some new faces like Allah Ghazanfar getting into the mix. MI's scouting is always top-notch. Hope they give chances to the young Indian players too, not just rely on overseas stars. The first session energy is always contagious!
As a cricket fan living in Mumbai, the buzz is already building! The Wankhede will be packed. Just hoping for no major injuries during the pre-season. The fitness block sounds intense. 💪
Solid coaching staff with Malinga and Jayawardene. But honestly, the squad has too many all-rounders and the middle order looks a bit thin after Surya and Tilak. Need to see how they balance the playing XI. Still, MI is MI – they usually figure it out!
Yay! Cricket season is coming back! 😍 Love seeing the behind-the-scenes prep. Hope Robin Minz gets a game this time. And please, bring back the old blue and gold jersey vibe! #OneFamily
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