MUMBAI: Mumbai Indians have been dealt a fresh injury setback, with former captain and star opener Rohit Sharma expected to miss the franchise’s fifth match of IPL 2026 against Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium. Rohit is set to sit out due to a recurrence of a hamstring problem, adding to the pressure on a side already struggling after three consecutive defeats.
Rohit picked up the issue during Mumbai Indians’ previous outing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the same venue. Ahead of the pre-match media interaction, which was addressed by Naman Dhir, an MI spokesperson provided an update on the opener’s condition and said, “The medical team is reviewing him. We’ll share an official update once we have more clarity.”
Later in the evening, during the team’s training session, Rohit was seen jogging at the Wankhede Stadium, offering some visual indication of his recovery process, though the final call remained pending. The spokesperson also confirmed that England all-rounder Will Jacks—who has not yet played an IPL match—“is on his way and will join the team soon.”
The hamstring concern traces back to the second innings against RCB, when Rohit retired hurt during the sixth over of the chase. Mumbai Indians ultimately lost that encounter, marking their third defeat in four matches in the ongoing season. Rohit walked off after contributing 19 runs from 13 balls, including two fours and a six, following extended treatment on the field by the team physio before Rasikh Salam was involved in the sequence.
After the game, teammate Sherfane Rutherford shared his limited understanding of the injury, saying, “I’m not completely sure yet—maybe it’s a hamstring issue—but I can’t say for certain. I was in the dugout, so I don’t have much information on it.”
Rohit recently reached the milestone of completing 15 years with Mumbai Indians. In his current IPL campaign, he has amassed 137 runs across four matches, including a half-century. However, the 38-year-old has had a recurring history of hamstring troubles, having missed matches in IPL 2020 and portions of the 2016-17 season due to similar problems.
