"Looking forward to sitting down and having a chat with him" - Mark Boucher on Rohit Sharma 

Newly appointed Mumbai Indians (MI) head coach Mark Boucher stated that he is looking forward to working with Rohit Sharma and the franchise ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.

The former South African wicketkeeper replaces Mahela Jayawardene, who has been promoted to MI's global head of performance and will oversee the MI Cape Town and the MI Emirates as well.

Boucher's tenure with the South African national team ended with the Proteas' Super 12 exit from the T20 World Cup 2022. He oversaw South Africa's transition period and is looking to make his mark in the franchise landscape as well, having last coached a side in the South African domestic league.

Stating that he is looking forward to holding conversations with MI skipper Rohit to forge plans for the upcoming season, Boucher told the franchise website in an interaction:

"It’s going to be quite interesting. I have played against Rohit before. I think he is a fantastic player and a good leader as well, so I’m really looking forward to it. Looking forward to sitting down and having a chat with him. I think we have one or two things in common."

He continued:

"I know he likes conservation, so that will be an interesting chat as well. So yeah, I think there are certain ways that I coach and it will be interesting conversation to have with him."

Boucher has a huge task on his hand, considering that the five-time champions finished at the bottom of the table in the 2022 edition. MI have proceeded to release several players and are looking to bolster their squad at the upcoming mini-auction.

Speaking about the expectations from the team, Boucher said:

"There is always expectations. It is one of the best franchises in world sport. And with that comes a lot of responsibility. So, I’m a guy who’s driven by results. I am very result-oriented as well. So, yes, I know that I have got to perform and the players have got to perform as well. I am really looking forward to that challenge."

Mumbai Indians have a purse of ₹20.55 crore and have a minimum of nine slots to fill, among which three are reserved for overseas players.

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"I’ve always really enjoyed Mumbai" - Mark Boucher

Mark Boucher was part of the formative stages of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He represented the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

He then went on to join the two-time champions once again as a wicketkeeping coach in 2016.

Expressing his adoration for the city of Mumbai and its culture, Boucher said:

"Mumbai city, first of all The Necklace. I’ve been on a couple of runs along the beachfront there. Mumbai never sleeps as well so it’s quite an exciting place to go and tour."

He continued:

"I’ve always really enjoyed Mumbai. It was the first place that I ever went to in India on an under-19 tour. I was amazed by the buzz and the hype around Mumbai, and when I’ll get back there, I’ll feel the same sort of space as well."

The mini-auction will take place in Kochi on Friday, December 23.

Will Mumbai Indians make it to the playoffs in their first season under Boucher? Let us know what you think.

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