Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians batter Quinton de Kock made a stunning return as opener for Mumbai Indians after five years, stepping up in the absence of Rohit Sharma in their IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings on Thursday.With Rohit ruled out due to a hamstring injury, MI reshuffled their batting order, promoting De Kock to the top, a role he last held in the 2021 season. The move paid off instantly. The left-hander looked in complete control, bringing up a fluent half-century in just 28 balls and anchoring the innings early on.
During his knock, De Kock also achieved a major milestone. His 25th IPL fifty as a designated wicketkeeper-batter took him past MS Dhoni (24 fifties), placing him second on the all-time list behind KL Rahul.
Most 50-plus scores by a designated WK in IPL
- 31 – KL Rahul
- 25 – Quinton de Kock*
- 24 – MS Dhoni
- 21 – Dinesh Karthik
- 21 – Rishabh Pant
- 20 – Sanju Samson
The landmark came with a calm single off Yuzvendra Chahal, as he raised his bat to acknowledge the crowd.The innings was crucial for Mumbai, who were already dealing with disruptions. Rohit’s absence had created a leadership and batting void at the top, while Mitchell Santner was also unavailable due to illness. Captain Hardik Pandya had confirmed before the match that Rohit would miss “a couple of games”, forcing the team to rethink combinations.De Kock’s composed knock not only stabilised the innings but also underlined his value as a flexible top-order batter. In a high-pressure situation, his experience ensured MI didn’t lose early momentum, even as the team continues to navigate key absences in IPL 2026.
