Rohit Sharma has changed a lot in himself since his retirement from first T20 and then Test format. With a more aggressive mind and fit body, the former captain has been putting in strong performances for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the ongoing Tata Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) season.
The five-time IPL winners last tasted success in the 2020 season; Since then, he has continued his quest for a sixth title. The franchise has not yet achieved success under the leadership of Hardik Pandya.
Former Team India cricketer Manoj Tiwari praised Rohit Sharma before the match between MI and Rajasthan Royals.
Amid the ongoing IPL 2026, former Team India batsman Manoj Tiwari said that Pandya may be the captain of the team, but the real leader is Rohit Sharma. Tiwari observed that the 38-year-old man’s right side was still visible on the ground.
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As the most senior player in the franchise, who has known the team for a long time and has guided them to 5 IPL silverware, he might be the best personality the franchise can have to nurture and guide the young talent.
Rohit is the leader of Mumbai Indians: Manoj Tiwari
“You can see that authority when he plays. He brings a lot of experience with him. And I am sure even though the captain is Hardik Pandya, but despite that, Rohit Sharma being a part of that camp is very helpful for every player, especially the youngsters. Mumbai Indians have a lot of captains, but there is only one leader. And that is Rohit Sharma,” Manoj Tiwary said in a Cricbuzz show.
He further explains, “There is a lot of difference. A leader looks after everything and a captain only captains on the field. So I think that is a big plus.”
After playing two matches, Mumbai Indians have one win and one loss. In those matches against Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals, the veteran opener scored 78 and 35 runs respectively. Tiwary believes that getting a good amount of runs from a player like Rohit Sharma is a luxury for the team.
Getting runs from Sharma is a luxury for the team!
The former cricketer said, “And if runs are coming from his batting, then there can be no better facility than this for any management or team.”
Manor Tiwary’s comments came ahead of MI’s third match of the ongoing campaign. Today, MI is scheduled to face Rajasthan Royals in an away match at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.
It is believed that Rohit Sharma is working hard on his fitness and batting due to the upcoming ICC ODI World Cup. The upcoming ODI World Cup is scheduled to be held next year in 2027. The ongoing Indian Premier League is a good platform to redefine his batting skills. Fans will be hoping to see the ‘Hitman’ in the ODI World Cup 2027 squad in the near future.
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