Mumbai Indians (MI) have received a significant setback as their talismanic opener Rohit Sharma is set to miss at least the next two matches in the ongoing IPL 2026 season following a hamstring injury. The 38-year-old suffered the blow during MI’s high-scoring defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Wankhede Stadium on April 12, forcing him to retire hurt early in the chase.
Rohit skipped MI’s recent net session, raising immediate concerns ahead of the crucial home clash against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 16 at the Wankhede Stadium. He was spotted lightly jogging and testing the hamstring during training, but the franchise is playing it safe.
Rohit Sharma injury update and recovery timeline
Rohit Sharma, a key part of the Mumbai Indians' batting lineup, picked up a hamstring injury while batting against RCB. Scans reportedly showed no major tear, offering some relief, but the team is adopting a cautious approach. Hardik Pandya provided the latest update, stating clearly: "Rohit is out from the last game. He's gonna take a couple of games for him to see where exactly he is."
This absence comes at a critical juncture for MI, who have struggled to find consistency after an opening win against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Without their experienced leader at the top, the batting order relies heavily on Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, and Suryakumar Yadav to deliver big starts.
Mumbai Indians playing XI
Along with Rohit Sharma, Mitchell Santner is also ruled out due to illness. "Mitchell is unwell as well. Mitchell Santner is also not available. So, yeah, we got a couple of changes," Hardik Pandya expressed during the toss.
The Mumbai Indians made necessary adjustments. Quinton de Kock returns behind the stumps, while young all-rounder Mayank Rawat earns his IPL debut.
Mumbai Indians Playing XI: Quinton de Kock (w), Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mayank Rawat, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.
MI Impact subs: AM Ghazanfar, Corbin Bosch, Raj Bawa, Robin Minz, Ashwani Kumar
(More to follow)