Rohit Sharma marked his return from injury on Monday with a match-defining display as Mumbai Indians defeated Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2026. The MI captain-turned-batter was the top scorer of the game, smashing an 84 off 44 balls, and he also helped stitch together a crucial opening stand of 143 runs with Ryan Rickelton.
Quick facts
- Rohit Sharma returned to the Mumbai Indians XI after missing a few matches due to injury.
- He scored 84 runs off 44 balls versus Lucknow Super Giants.
- His knock included six fours and seven sixes.
- Rohit and Ryan Rickelton added 143 runs for the first wicket.
- After the match, LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka posted praise for Rohit, calling him a “living legend”.
The 39-year-old opener’s innings came in a quick rhythm, powered by six boundaries to the fence and seven maximums. Coming back into the playing XI, he made an immediate impact, turning starts into damage and giving Mumbai Indians a platform they could build on.
Following the win, Rohit also shared a light moment with LSG franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka. Goenka later posted about the interaction on Tuesday, highlighting Rohit’s approach and the respect he commands across roles and generations.
“The warmth @ImRo45 carries shows up in every conversation I have with him. His humility is evident in every moment spent around him. That’s what makes him a champion and a living legend,” Goenka wrote in his post, underlining the admiration he has for Rohit’s grounded demeanour.
Gavaskar breaks down the innings
Sunil Gavaskar, speaking on Star Sports’ “Amul Cricket Live,” praised the way Rohit went about his batting against LSG. Gavaskar pointed out that after Rohit stepped away from the white-ball captaincy and the IPL leadership role, he appeared to focus more directly on batting output.
He noted Rohit’s run-filled stretch across formats, referencing his performances in the ODI series against Australia and a solid home phase, before adding that the same intent has carried into the IPL. Gavaskar also stressed that while Rohit may not stack up a large number of scores in the 80-plus range, his 40-to-50-run starts frequently create early momentum for his team.
Gavaskar further explained that the change in Rohit’s approach is visible now—he looks to bat deeper and leave a bigger imprint on matches. In this 84-run knock, he said, the innings displayed a full range of the classic Rohit strokes, with the pull shot standing out and short deliveries being dispatched over the ropes.
He also described how Rohit treated full balls with confidence through the cover region, while lofted shots came away with ease. Against left-arm spinner M Siddharth, Gavaskar said Rohit even picked the line to hit down the ground despite the ball turning, concluding that Mumbai Indians could trouble several teams’ playoff ambitions if the form continues in the remaining matches.
