Kamal Ghorui
Mumbai Indians have suffered a double blow after their 18-run defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Wankhede Stadium, with concerns now emerging over veteran opener and former captain Rohit Sharma’s fitness. In a high-scoring IPL 2026 clash, MI were chasing a massive 241-run target after RCB posted 240/4, powered by half-centuries from Phil Salt, Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar. Mumbai began strongly with Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton giving them a flying start, racing to 39 without loss in just three overs and ending the powerplay at 62/0. However, the momentum shifted when Rohit Sharma walked off the field during the sixth over after suffering a hamstring issue, forcing a major disruption in MI’s chase. He had looked in good touch before retiring hurt on 19 off 13 balls and did not return to the crease as Mumbai eventually finished on 222/5, falling short by 18 runs. Rohit’s early exit proved to be a crucial setback in a chase where MI still had hopes, with Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya keeping them in the contest before Sherfane Rutherford’s unbeaten 71 off 31 balls almost pulled off the improbable. After the match, Sherfane Rutherford confirmed that Rohit is dealing with a hamstring issue, though he did not provide details on the severity of the injury. “I am not sure about it. It’s a bit of a hamstring. I am not sure; I was in the dugout, so I can’t really give much information on that,” Rutherford told reporters after the match. With MI also suffering their third consecutive defeat, Rohit’s injury has added to their concerns as they await further assessment on the veteran batter ahead of upcoming fixtures.
