Mumbai Indians have sent a clear signal that Rohit Sharma’s return could be nearing, ahead of their IPL 2026 fixture against Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday. The defending franchise are struggling for momentum in the league, having suffered seven defeats from their first nine matches, leaving them positioned near the bottom of the points table. With qualification now hanging by a thread, MI’s path to the playoffs would require something close to a dramatic turnaround. Their concern has been heightened by the timing of Rohit’s injury, which has coincided with Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma finding it difficult to settle into consistent form.
Rohit training update sparks return talk
On the eve of the clash, MI shared a video showing Rohit taking part in training drills and batting work in the nets. The post carried the message, “We fight till the end,” reinforcing the mindset the franchise is trying to project as the season enters a critical phase.
Cheteshwar Pujara on the stakes for both franchises
Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara also weighed in on the much-anticipated match between Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede. Speaking on Star Sports, he pointed out that both sides have had to deal with difficulties this season and suggested the contest carries added importance beyond just the points.
- Pujara said MI need a comeback not only for their fans and team pride, but also for the players who have put in hard work.
- He highlighted that, because Mumbai are a “big team,” the expectations remain very high, and they will want to respond quickly.
- While acknowledging MI’s struggles, he noted the pressure that comes with the franchise’s legacy and what supporters expect from them.
- He added that Lucknow Super Giants have also faced their own set of issues, meaning both teams will be playing with pride regardless of where they stand in the playoff race.
Confirmed squads for MI vs LSG
Both teams will take the field with the following squads:
Mumbai Indians
- Will Jacks
- Ryan Rickelton (w)
- Naman Dhir
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Tilak Varma
- Hardik Pandya (c)
- Robin Minz
- Krish Bhagat
- Trent Boult
- Jasprit Bumrah
- AM Ghazanfar
- Raghu Sharma
- Raj Bawa
- Mayank Rawat
- Shardul Thakur
- Ashwani Kumar
- Rohit Sharma
- Deepak Chahar
- Quinton de Kock
- Corbin Bosch
- Keshav Maharaj
- Sherfane Rutherford
- Mayank Markande
- Danish Malewar
- Mohammed Salahuddin Izhar
Lucknow Super Giants
- Aiden Markram
- Mitchell Marsh
- Rishabh Pant (w/c)
- Nicholas Pooran
- Ayush Badoni
- Mukul Choudhary
- Himmat Singh
- George Linde
- Mohammed Shami
- Prince Yadav
- Digvesh Singh Rathi
- Mohsin Khan
- Akshat Raghuwanshi
- Abdul Samad
- Avesh Khan
- Manimaran Siddharth
- Josh Inglis
- Anrich Nortje
- Matthew Breetzke
- Arjun Tendulkar
- Shahbaz Ahmed
- Akash Maharaj Singh
- Mayank Yadav
- Arshin Kulkarni
- Naman Tiwari
