Mahela Jayawardene set to quit as Southern Brave head coach after undertaking global role with Mumbai Indians - Reports 

Former Sri Lanka captain and renowned coach Mahela Jayawardene will reportedly step down from his role with the Southern Brave in The Hundred after being appointed as global head of performance for the Mumbai Indians' franchises.

According to a report by ESPNCricinfo, Mahela Jayawardene is yet to formally exit from his role with the franchise in the Hundred. He is said to have met representatives from the Southern Brave and explained his predicament surrounding his workload following his new role with the Mumbai Indians' (MI) setup.

The report further states that the top-brass in the franchise are considering bringing in a new head coach, with Jayawardene expected to aid in the hunt and ensure a smooth transition.

Southern Brave tasted success under him after being crowned the inaugural winner of the competition in 2021. However, in a fall from grace, the franchise finished second from bottom in the 2022 edition with only three wins under their belt and as a result, failed to make it to the knockouts.

---

Mahela Jayawardene elevated to global head of performance

The legendary batter has assumed the role of head coach with the Mumbai Indians (MI) since 2017. He has led the side to three of their five title triumphs, out of which two were in successive seasons.

However, with the Reliance group, which owns MI, choosing to invest in overseas leagues, the former player's role within the setup sees a massive upgrade.

After the acquisition of MI Emirates and MI Cape Town, the former player was promoted to oversee the proceedings of all the sister franchises as well in September 2022. The franchise released a statement which read:

"The Mumbai Indians ownership has elevated Mahela Jayawardene and Zaheer Khan to take on new roles with the aim to build a global cricket legacy for MI. As part of building the structure, two MI veterans Mahela Jayawardene and Zaheer Khan with deep knowledge of the MI value system and proven track record, are being elevated to new roles."

Amid the reshuffling of personnel, the five-time winners appointed former South African wicket-keeper Mark Boucher as their new head coach. The Proteas ace will take charge of the franchise during the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2023.

Who will be the Southern Brave's next head coach? Let us know what you think.