Kieron Pollard's Super Kings Chapter Hits Unexpected Twist Before SA20 2027: Report

Kieron Pollard was on Saturday named Mumbai Indians' coach. For someone who has been an integral part of the franchise for a long time, the elevation came as a natural progression. The development came weeks after Pollard was roped in by Joburg Super Kings (JSK) in the 2027 SA20 auction. JSK is part of the same franchise that owns Chennai Super Kings. Pollard joining the Super Kings setup in the South African league became a major talking point. Now, according to a report in Cricbuzz, Pollard has informed JSK about his unavailability for the upcoming SA20, which starts in January 2027. In SA20, the Mumbai Indians management also owns a team, MI Cape Town. The Mumbai Indians management had no role to play in Pollard's decision.

"It's up to KP on the matter. We have given no instructions," an MI source was quoted as saying.

Pollard is also the head coach of MI London in The Hundred in the UK. He also continues to play for MI Emirates and MI New York in the ILT20 and MLC, respectively.

Pollard's move to the Super Kings became a major talking point, as SA20 League commissioner Graeme Smith acknowledged.

"Look, I mean, Pollard is one of the most experienced T20 players in the world. The number of games that he's played, the different competitions around the world. You're talking a lot about youth, but just to have Pollard around and the experience that he will pass on to the likes of those under-23 players, such as Jason Rowles, just sitting with him behind the scenes, never mind playing with him," Smith said during an interaction facilitated by SA20.

"I think the other thing about Pollard is that he's always been quite a forthright character. He doesn't really mince his words and he's highly competitive. So bringing that type of nature into our tournament is exciting.

"Yeah, I mean, obviously it's a storyline because of his history with MI. I'll let Albie and Robin Peterson talk about their strategies between the two teams. But from a league perspective, seeing players of that quality is always exciting."

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