Mumbai, Mar 20 (IANS): Five-time IPL Champions Mumbai Indians have begun their preparation for the upcoming season of IPL 2023, here.

The team had their first outdoor session including sessions on the field, as well as strength and conditioning evaluation, ahead of the season as players, coaching team and support team have started to arrive here.

Leading the session was Mark Boucher, head coach, debuting with Mumbai Indians, along with the coaching team of Shane Bond, bowling coach and James Pamment, fielding coach guiding and supporting the players in their first training.

In his first team address on the field prior to training, Mark Boucher, Head Coach, Mumbai Indians explained what he expected the group to focus on, in the initial sessions, as the players and coaches got to know each other better.

"The first couple of days are more about knowing the teammates, understanding the playing style, level of fitness and creating a base to get into the technical training," Boucher said in a media release issued by the franchise.

:We can't do anything in cricket without a base, so the next set of training sessions will be to build a base and keep evaluating ourselves, have chats with the coaches and focus on technical training, cricketing skills and skill sets. There will be some nervousness, and that is absolutely fine, it's natural. I want us to enjoy ourselves," he added.

The first training session had Indian players Piyush Chawla, Tilak Varma, Hrithik Shokeen, Kumar Kartikeya Singh, Mohd Arshad Khan, Ramandeep Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Arjun Tendulkar, Raghav Goyal, Vishnu Vinod, Akash Madhwal and Shams Mulani as well as the international duo of Dewald Brevis and Duan Jansen.

On the other hand, batting coach Kieron Pollard is set to join the training sessions in the days ahead.

Mumbai Indians will play their first game of the season against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on April 2.