New Delhi, March 16 : Five-time champions Mumbai Indians have begun preparing for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Head coach Mahela Jayawardene led the first training session as the team gets ready for its opening match against Kolkata Knight Riders at the famous Wankhede Stadium on March 29.

The franchise shared glimpses of the early preparations on social media. The first batch of players attending the camp includes Shardul Thakur, Mayank Markande, Allah Ghazanfar, Dhir, Raja Angad Bawa, Robin Minz, Sharma, Mayank Rawat, Malewar, Mohammad Izhar and Ashwani Kumar.

Jayawardene oversaw the on-field session with a strong support staff that included bowling coaches Paras Mhambrey and Lasith Malinga, along with fielding coach Carl Hopkinson. The teamâ??s strength and conditioning and physiotherapy staff were also present as the squad began organized preparations for the new campaign.

â??Thereâ??s always something special about the first day of pre-season. You see the players walk in, the energy builds, and the objective is to start strong,â?? Jayawardene said. â??Weâ??ve got the boys who know this franchise inside out, and we have got some exciting new faces coming in. Day one sets the tone for the entire campaign. We wanted everyone to feel the intent from the very first session, in how we train, how we prepare, and how we show up for each other.â??

He added that the opening session marks the beginning of serious work ahead of the tournament. â??The first session is always exciting, but itâ??s also the start of something serious and we know what weâ??re building towards,â?? he said.

The session began with a structured fitness and conditioning block as the strength and conditioning staff put the players through movement drills, agility routines and fitness assessments to gauge readiness ahead of the demanding season.

The remainder of the squad is expected to join the camp in the coming days as preparations intensify ahead of the new IPL campaign.

/IANS