Mumbai, April 26 (IANS) Recently-sacked assistant coach of the Indian cricket team, Abhishek Nayar, and former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey have joined the T20 Mumbai League 2025 as mentors. Nayar and Mhambrey have been appointed mentors for the Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals and ARCS Andheri, respectively.

Their wealth of experience is expected to play a crucial role in guiding young talents throughout the season. Nayar was the assistant coach under head coach Gautam Gambhir and has recently been relieved from his duties, while Mhambrey was part of the team management led by Rahul Dravid. Nayar had earlier this week joined as an assistant coach at the Kolkata Knight Riders, a post he held till the end of IPL 2024.

The duo are part of a stellar line-up of coaches and mentors announced by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) on Saturday for the third edition of the highly-anticipated T20 Mumbai League 2025.

Returning after a six-year break, one of India's premier domestic franchise-based T20 leagues has its third season scheduled to take place at the iconic Wankhede Stadium from May 26 to June 8, featuring eight teams.

The coaching line-up features some of Mumbai's most seasoned names, with Omkar Salvi (SoBo Mumbai Falcons), Rajesh Pawar (ARCS Andheri), Atul Ranade (Triumph Knights Mumbai North East), Amit Dani (Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals), Prashant Shetty (Eagle Thane Strikers), Pravin Tambe (North Mumbai Panthers) and Vinod Raghvan (Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburbs) named as head coaches of the respective franchises. The head coach of Namo Bandra Blasters will be announced later.

“As the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), we are committed to promoting and empowering our local coaches and support staff, ensuring they receive greater opportunities to grow and contribute not only to Mumbai cricket but also to Indian cricket. By nurturing homegrown talent, we aim to strengthen the foundation of our cricketing ecosystem and create pathways for sustained excellence,” said Ajinkya Naik, President of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).

Recently, the MCA added star power to the league with the announcement of India’s captain Rohit Sharma as the official face of Season 3.

The T20 Mumbai League has served as a launchpad for emerging stars, with the likes of Shivam Dube, Tushar Deshpande, and Shams Mulani making significant strides in their careers after shining in previous seasons. With an overwhelming response of over 2,800 player registrations for Season 3, the MCA is all set to uncover the next generation of Indian cricket stars.