Already going through an underwhelming campaign in IPL 2026, Mumbai Indians are anxiously awaiting clarity on former skipper Rohit Sharma’s fitness after the veteran opener is suspected of suffering a hamstring injury during their IPL 2026 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
Rohit, 38, retired hurt in the sixth over of the chase after scoring 19 off 13 deliveries, including two fours and a six. The discomfort first surfaced before the opening ball of Rasikh Salam’s over, prompting a lengthy on-field assessment by the physio. Although he briefly resumed and faced one more delivery, Rohit immediately walked off, unable to continue.
The franchise has confirmed that the extent of the injury will only be known after scans, which are scheduled to determine his availability for Mumbai Indians’ upcoming fixture against Punjab Kings on April 16.
“I’m not entirely sure yet, perhaps it’s a bit of a hamstring issue, but I can’t say for certain. I was in the dugout, so I don’t have much information on it,” teammate Sherfane Rutherford said after the match.
Rohit’s potential absence would come as a significant setback for Mumbai Indians, who have already lost three of their first four matches this season and are struggling to build momentum. The experienced opener has been one of the brighter spots in an otherwise inconsistent campaign, scoring 137 runs in four innings, including a half-century.
Earlier in the game, Rohit and Ryan Rickelton had given Mumbai a flying start in pursuit of a daunting 240-run target, racing to 56 without loss in just five overs. However, the injury halted his innings abruptly, disrupting the chase and adding to the team’s concerns.
Injury scare for Kohli
While Mumbai await updates on Rohit, Royal Challengers Bengaluru were also dealing with an injury scare of their own. Virat Kohli, who scored a 38-ball 50 in RCB’s innings, did not take the field during Mumbai’s chase due to an ankle issue.
However, teammate Krunal Pandya downplayed the concern, suggesting it was not serious.
“I mean, I have not spoken to the physio yet, but I think he’ll be fine,” Pandya said.
Krunal also backed Kohli’s overall form despite a relatively slower knock by his standards.
“He has been striking at around 200 if you look at the last two or three games. At the end of the day, what matters is how we are playing as a unit. If we are able to put up 230-240, we will take that any day. If you look at his stats, he has been batting at a very good strike rate,” he added.