Rohit Sharma is ruled out of MI vs PBKS due to a hamstring injury picked up against RCB
Hardik Pandya confirmed MI will monitor Rohit’s recovery over the next few games before considering his return to the XI
Punjab Kings won the toss at Wankhede and opted to field first in the IPL 2026 clash
MI Vs PBKS, IPL 2026: Why Is Rohit Sharma Not Playing In Mumbai Indians’ Clash Against Punjab Kings?
Rohit Sharma is ruled out of MI’s clash vs PBKS after a hamstring injury against RCB. He has resumed training but is not match-fit yet, with Hardik Pandya saying he will be monitored before a return
Summary
Mumbai Indians opener Rohit Sharma has been ruled out of their IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, 16 April, as he continues recovery from a hamstring injury sustained in the previous match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Rohit picked up the injury while batting during MI’s chase of 241 against RCB on April 12 and had to retire hurt after scoring 19 runs. Although he has since returned to training, the team management confirmed he is not yet match-fit for competitive action and will require a few more games for full recovery.
Captain Hardik Pandya, speaking at the toss, said the team is taking a cautious approach with the veteran opener and will assess his progress on a game-by-game basis before bringing him back into the XI.
Quinton de Kock has replaced Rohit at the top of the order and is expected to open alongside Ryan Rickelton. Mumbai also made a forced change, with Mitchell Santner ruled out due to illness. Mayank Rawat has been included as the spin-bowling all-round option in his place.
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss at Wankhede and opted to field first, noting the surface looked slightly dry but expected dew to make batting easier under lights. PBKS confirmed they are going in with an unchanged XI.
The timing of Rohit’s absence is a setback for Mumbai Indians, who have struggled for consistency this season, losing three of their last four matches.
Rohit himself had been in strong form prior to the injury, scoring 137 runs in four innings at a strike rate above 165, making his absence a significant blow at a crucial stage of the campaign.
MI Vs PBKS, IPL 2026: Toss Update And Playing XIs
Punjab Kings have won the toss and elected to field first.
Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh(w), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer(c), Cooper Connolly, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
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Mumbai Indians: Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mayank Rawat, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah
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