Mumbai Indians (MI) head coach Mahela Jayawardene has provided an important update regarding the availability of former captain Rohit Sharma.
Sharma has not played in IPL 2026 after suffering a toe injury during MI’s match against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 12. However, since then, his return has been significantly delayed due to a hamstring injury.
Mumbai Indians are currently placed ninth in the points table with just two wins from six matches.
MI struggle without Rohit Sharma
In the four matches since losing Rohit Sharma, MI have tried three different opening pairs. In his first four matches of the season, Sharma opened with Ryan Rickelton. In the first match, the duo scored 148 runs as MI chased 211 against KKR.
The pair could not even score 20 runs in their next two matches before scoring 57 runs against RCB until Rohit got injured. Sharma’s injury paved the way for Quinton de Kock to return to the playing eleven against Punjab Kings.
Even though Rickelton could not score big, De Kock scored a century, although MI lost. Rickelton sat out the next two matches and MI gave Vidarbha batsman Danish Malewar a chance. Malewar and de Kock made a partnership of 10 and 7 runs and could not make any significant individual contribution.
In MI’s latest match, De Kock was shown the door, and Ryan Rickelton returned to opening with newly available Will Jacks.
Jacques and Rickelton played an innings of 93 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad, in which Rickelton also scored a century. In fact, Rickelton reached 123*, which is the highest individual score by an MI batsman in the IPL. However, it was not enough as MI bowlers failed to defend 243 runs.
“He is working really hard to get it back” – Mahela Jayawardene on Rohit Sharma
On the eve of Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2026 clash against Chennai Super Kings on May 2, head coach Mahela Jayawardene talked about Rohit Sharma’s progress in his return from injury.
“There has been good progress. He’s working really hard to get back to it. For us in the medical team, it’s daily. We see how he feels, how he performs the next day. So, we’ll make a decision tomorrow.”
“We will see him practice today as well. So we’ll see how he feels tomorrow and what the medical team says. Thank you,” he said.
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For the last few days, Rohit has returned to light training and batting in the nets. It is understood that MI is taking a cautious approach towards Rohit’s return considering his age (he turned 39 on Thursday).
Rohit Sharma in IPL 2026
Before being ruled out due to injury, Rohit Sharma had been a consistent contributor to MI’s struggling campaign.
In 4 matches, he has scored 137 runs at an average of 45.67 and a strike rate of around 165. He also scored 78 runs in the first match as MI chased 221 against Kolkata Knight Riders.
MI’s next match in IPL 2026
In their next match in the tournament, Mumbai Indians will face CSK on May 2. The game will be held in Chennai.
MI has already lost to CSK once in this tournament at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
CSK have also had an up-and-down season like MI, but there is room for relief as they are currently placed seventh in the points table.
