Sunil Gavaskar feels a renewed Rohit Sharma can be a major factor in determining how the business end of IPL 2026 unfolds. The former India captain believes Mumbai Indians have the ability to unsettle multiple teams’ playoff plans, provided their senior batter keeps producing the kind of form he has shown recently.
Rohit made an emphatic return after an injury break, posting 84 off 44 balls to steer Mumbai to a six-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants in a memorable Wankhede Stadium chase of 229. His 143-run opening stand with Ryan Rickelton gave MI a platform from which they could control the game, and it ultimately became only their third win of the season.
Gavaskar, who says he has tracked Rohit’s development closely over the last year, pointed to a noticeable change in mindset. He believes the batter has shifted his priorities after stepping away from leadership responsibilities in both white-ball cricket and the IPL. With Mumbai still very much alive in the playoff race, the batting great thinks Rohit’s current rhythm could make them a tough side to face in the final stretch.
“I have been watching Rohit Sharma closely over the last year. Ever since he was removed as captain in white-ball cricket and the IPL, he has focused more on his batting. He scored runs in the ODI series against Australia, did well in the home series, and now he is doing the same in the IPL. If he continues this form, Mumbai Indians will hurt the playoff hopes of many teams in the remaining matches,” Gavaskar said.
While Rohit is often associated with fast starts rather than long, monster innings, Gavaskar insisted that the impact at the top has been substantial. He argued that even when big scores do not always follow, Rohit’s early momentum tends to tilt matches in his team’s favour.
“In the IPL, he usually scores 400 to 500 runs a season, but his knocks are often impactful. He may not have many 80-plus innings, but his 40 to 50-run starts give his team early momentum,” he added.
Gavaskar also believes Rohit is now looking to influence proceedings for longer by changing how he approaches his batting. In his view, the goal is no longer just to get going quickly, but to stay in control deeper into the innings.
“The change in his game is clear: he now wants to bat deeper and leave a bigger impact,” Gavaskar said.
To further explain Rohit’s form in the match against LSG, Gavaskar highlighted the variety and authority he showed during the 84-run knock. He noted that the innings contained the full range of Rohit’s trademark strokes—combining timing, placement, and power.
“In this 84-run knock, we saw all the typical Rohit Sharma shots. The pull shot was on display. Short balls disappeared into the stands. Full deliveries were driven through the cover region. He also lofted long off with ease,” Gavaskar said.
He also praised Rohit’s intent against spin, singling out the way the batter handled left-arm spin—especially his approach versus left-arm spinner Manimaran Siddharth. Gavaskar suggested Rohit played with clear focus, using the turn rather than getting dragged into the wrong areas.
“Against left-arm spinner M Siddharth, he played down the ground, hitting against the turn. We saw a focused Rohit Sharma against LSG,” Gavaskar concluded.
