Paras Mhambrey, Bowling Coach has a nice ring to it. He’s no stranger to the #OneFamily, having been an integral part of the Mumbai Indians coaching setup from 2010-2017. He’s back in 2025 after stints with the National Cricket Academy in India and of course, the Indian Bowling Coach in the Rahul David-led regime that saw Rohit Sharma and Co. lift the T20 World Cup after sixteen long years. 

He’s back in the Blue and Gold, and while we might have to wait a few more months to see him at the Wankhede chalking out plans of bringing home IPL title #6, he’s here in the UAE, as the Bowling Coach of MI Emirates, indulging in an exclusive chat with miemirates.com. Excerpts.. 

Back in the Blue and Gold family after eight years! Could you put your finger on a couple of moments or memories from your days in the MI setup that still make you smile?

A lot of good memories. In 2010, in my first season with MI even though we didn’t cross the line, we qualified for the final for the first time. The level at which we played gave a lot of personal satisfaction. Just that one Final shouldn’t define the way we played. The semis was a tough game, overcoming that hurdle. In the final, you had Sachin Tendulkar who had stitches in his webbing, he couldn’t hold a bat. So many good memories of that game. The first year was special, getting a feel of the franchise, the IPL, was very special. 

You’re coming off a very successful stint with the Indian team which ended in the World Cup win. Having had the time to reflect now, what would be the proudest moments in that tenure?

We got that T20 World Cup in the West Indies and we partied over there, but when we landed in India, that’s when it hit us. That’s when we realized what it meant to the people. When we landed at the airport, the crowd out there, the way everyone was welcomed was amazing. Then we went on a drive from Marine Drive to Wankhede. It was phenomenal. It showed what it meant to the people of our country. To be able to live that moment and contribute to the dreams of a billion people was special. The distance must have been just 200 meters, but it took us two hours. We could see lakhs of people. It was a very special moment.   

Maybe I’ll go back a little bit. For me, in all the years as Coach, we won against Australia and England, and those are special victories, but for me, it is the 2023 50-over World Cup. Even though we didn’t win the final, the way we played from the first game to the final, everyone contributed. It was a team decision on how we wanted to approach the World Cup, led by the captain and everyone putting themselves on the line. It was fabulous even though we didn’t win the World Cup. It was a special memory purely for the environment in the team, the challenges we faced and the way we overcame that. After the final, when I walked into the dressing room and saw the faces, I could see they were all physically and mentally drained. 

At MI Emirates now, you’re set to join hands with Robin Singh, whom you’ve worked with as a Coach in the past and Vinay Kumar, whom you’ve worked with in the past as a player. A word reuniting with the 2017 MI winning cast. 

I go back a long way with Robin. When I came into my first year in the IPL, Robin was there. He is very passionate about the game. You can make out his involvement from the conversations. It’s nice getting back. As a player, Vinay has given everything for his franchise. That’s the respect he commands for just the way he went about. We share a great atmosphere in the team, in the setup, the communications are good. There is respect for everyone and everyone gives everyone space. 
 

You were around when Bumrah came into the MI setup as a young raw talent. You worked closely with him in his starting days at MI and then saw his growth into becoming a match-winner as the Bowling Coach with the Indian team. What do you think makes him the best in the world? 

I think if you just look back at the journey he’s had, it’s a phenomenal journey. As a rookie he was picked up at the IPL and he wasn’t known at all. That’s where the MI setup comes in, in terms of support staff and the scouts having an eye for a player like this. John (Wright) was the guy who had a look at him and suggested his name to the management. It speaks a lot about the team that works here. Obviously the skills were there. It is important for a young guy coming in, it is important to give him the best of physios, trainers, having the right people to guide you, senior players. 

You have to give credit to Bumrah in the way he has evolved as a player. He is so focused. He is aware of his game. He has a constant need to improve. That’s why he is number one. He’s the best in the world in all three formats. Don’t judge players by the number of games he’s played, but also on the impact he’s made in all three formats. Very few bowlers in the world create that impact in all three formats. His numbers in T20s, ODIs and Tests speak about his work ethics. He’s one of the few guys who enjoys playing Test cricket. He just doesn’t leave the ball. He has taken a liking to captaining the team as well, and I am very happy about it. He doesn’t just focus on his game, he is very inclusive. He understands his role is also about grooming, assisting others, which he has taken to very nicely. Others in the team recognize and acknowledge that. For me that is good to see. It’s not just winning games for the country. It’s about leaving an impact on everyone. 

And how much better do you think he can get from here?

I don’t think he’s a guy who looks at numbers. Just being able to win and contribute to the team’s success is what he’ll be looking at. Fingers crossed, I just hope his body supports him here. His action saps up a lot of energy. My worry will always be the longevity of this individual. We have got to take care of him. It is easy to get away from the goal. He needs to be around for Indian cricket. I’m sure he wants to play, but we have to be smart on how to use him. On a personal front, I think he would just want to be doing what he is doing. You look at him on the ground and you know he is enjoying himself. When you sit in the dressing room thinking, ‘oh this is what he should be doing now’, invariably, he does exactly that the next ball. You understand he is thinking. He is reading the batters very well. You feel one of the fielders should have been deeper, boom, he moves it. Super fun sitting outside and watching him. It is a treat. I just hope I get to watch it for the next five years. 

Personally, you’ve been a coach at the NCA, the under-19s, the national team, and now in a franchise like MI Emirates where you have a mix of youth and experience from all over the world. What are some of the coaching mantras you swear by?

At that level, it is more about understanding what their requirement is, how I can be helpful to them. Because obviously, the experience is there, the skill is there. It is just one odd thing that you could change. It is just having that conversation with them and telling them, ‘see this is my observation, are you happy with what you’re doing’ and stuff. Just giving them that suggestion. Because a player is so engrossed in the game at that moment, small things get overlooked. That’s my job then to kind of point it out and address it with them. It’s important for me to keep pushing them and honestly suggest things. It’s important to create that trust with the player. He knows my intent is the team’s and the player’s benefit. 

With nine overseas players allowed in the playing XI, how different is coaching at MI Emirates in the ILT20 compared to other leagues? 

You need to understand that every individual out here has come in from a different dressing room and that all of them have been playing different roles for their teams. It will take a while. You can’t go in and stamp someone’s role. It is important for me to understand each individual and create a link amongst us. We need to understand how everyone fits in. At MI Emirates, we have a mix of quality fast bowlers and mystery spinners as well. It’s good as a captain to have those options available. You can also feel what MI Emirates means for the players. The credit has to go to the guys working in the team to feel that environment.