NEW DELHI: Once again, Rohit Sharma\u2019s unavailability became the central talking point for Mumbai Indians as skipper Hardik Pandya shared an important update on the veteran\u2019s progress ahead of MI\u2019s IPL 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday. After winning the toss, Hardik elected to bat first, but he also made it clear that Rohit is not match-ready yet. \u201cRohit\u2019s gonna take a couple of more games. He\u2019s been trying, it\u2019s not up to exactly where he would want, so not available for the team,\u201d Hardik said, signalling that the return is unlikely to happen immediately while suggesting a steady, step-by-step comeback plan.<\/p>\n
Rohit\u2019s absence was not the only concern for Mumbai, with opener Quinton de Kock also ruled out due to a wrist problem. Hardik explained the reshuffle to the playing group: \u201cMitchell (Santner) was unfortunate, and so was Quinny today. He just did something to his wrist\u2026 Ryan (Rickelton) comes in place of Quinny. We\u2019ve got Robin Minz.\u201d Even with multiple disruptions, the MI captain projected confidence in the team\u2019s preparation, stressing the need to keep things simple. \u201cIt was important for all of us to reset, not get too complicated\u2026 just have a couple of good boys\u2019 evenings. We\u2019ve had good sessions and ticked all the boxes\u2026 now just excited for the game,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
At the toss, Hardik also outlined why batting first appealed. He described the weather as conducive for strokeplay, while pointing out that dew may not play a major role. \u201cLooks like a good, breezy day\u2026 I don\u2019t think dew will be a factor. We\u2019re just gonna bat and see how much we can score,\u201d he said, underlining that the team\u2019s approach will be driven by the conditions rather than overthinking scenarios. He further stressed the value of setting the tone early: \u201cWe just want to come out and play the best cricket\u2026 that will definitely help the group.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the other side, Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins felt their side could handle the challenge the pitch may offer. \u201cIt looks like there might be a little bit of tackiness in the wicket, so happy to bowl first,\u201d Cummins said, indicating that conditions could slightly reward bowlers after the ball grips. He also spoke about staying flexible and not anchoring expectations too rigidly. \u201cYou\u2019ve just got to reset your expectations every game\u2026 this pitch might ask something different, so go with a clear mind.\u201d Cummins, meanwhile, described how he manages bowlers during the match, especially when pressure builds. \u201cI obviously pick up information when I\u2019m bowling\u2026 and if someone goes for big overs, I put my arm around them. They hopefully feel some sympathy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mumbai Indians XI:<\/strong> Ryan Rickelton (w), Will Jacks, Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Robin Minz, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Ashwani Kumar.<\/p>\n Sunrisers Hyderabad XI:<\/strong> Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora (w), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (c), Harsh Dubey, Sakib Hussain, Praful Hinge, Eshan Malinga.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" NEW DELHI: Once again, Rohit Sharma\u2019s unavailability became the central talking point for Mumbai Indians as skipper Hardik Pandya shared an important update on the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":6287,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL 2026: Hardik Pandya Update on Rohit Sharma Return Timeline","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Hardik Pandya reveals Rohit Sharma\u2019s latest IPL 2026 return timeline ahead of MI vs SRH at Wankhede\u2014find out what it means for Mumbai\u2019s chase.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n