Defending champions Mumbai Indians have confirmed former Australia leg-spinner Kristen Beams as their new spin-bowling coach for the 2026 Women’s Premier League.
Beams, 41, played for Australia between 2014 and 2017, turning out in one Test, 30 one-day internationals and 18 T20Is. She now steps into a back-room group headed by Lisa Keightley, with Jhulan Goswami continuing as bowling coach and mentor, Devika Palshikar in charge of batting and Nicole Bolton overseeing fielding.
“It’s an incredible opportunity to work with someone like a Jhulan Goswami, one of the greats of the game, somebody I played cricket against,” Beams said on the franchise’s Instagram page. “It’s an incredible culture… that they’ve developed a winning culture over a really long period of time, but a family, that’s what you hear everyone talk about, that this group is so tight-knit, and it’s a family and it’s what you want to be a part of. And I think as a coach coming in, that’s exactly what you want to be able to do, is to walk into an environment that feels really tight-knit, and a team that knows how to win.”
This will also be Keightley’s first season with MI after three years on Delhi Capitals’ coaching ticket. The pair have worked together before in various Australia pathways, so there should be a quick settling-in period.
After retiring, Beams spent time with Melbourne Stars in the WBBL, took on specialist roles in The Hundred and, more recently, helped guide Australia’s Under-19 women. The move to Mumbai is her first full-season post in a franchise tournament outside Australia.
Mumbai have lifted the trophy in two of the first three WPL editions and open their title defence on 9 January against 2024 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru. This season shifts to a January-February slot, with all 28 matches split between Navi Mumbai and Vadodara.
At last month’s auction MI stuck largely with the core that has delivered results, opting to retain or re-sign several familiar names rather than chase headline additions. The strategy, coupled with fresh coaching voices, points to continuity with just enough change to keep things moving.
