Rohit Sharma looked visibly frustrated even before Mumbai Indians began their massive 241-run chase against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Wankhede Stadium in IPL 2026 on Sunday after his bat was stopped for a mandatory “gauge test” by BCCI match officials.The former MI captain was seen having a detailed exchange with the official as he tried to convince him that there was nothing wrong with the bat. Tilak Varma also joined the discussion when the situation on the field became heated briefly. After repeated checks, the bat was finally cleaned. Tilak was later heard to suggest that the official may have been holding the meter incorrectly.The episode highlighted the stricter bat inspection protocol now in place in the IPL. Introduced more consistently in IPL 2025, the ‘Bat Gauge Test’ allows on-field umpires to randomly check the dimensions of bats during matches to ensure consistency. Previously, these checks were limited to the dressing room, but from 2025 officials were allowed to carry them out during a live game.By regulation, the bat face cannot exceed 4.25 inches (10.79 cm) in width. The maximum rim thickness is limited to 1.56 inches (4 cm), while the bulged center section cannot exceed 2.64 inches (6.7 cm). The overall length of the bat must remain within 38 inches (96.4 cm).Once the game got going, Royal Challengers Bengaluru posted a formidable 240/4, powered by blistering half-centuries from Phil Salt (78) and Rajat Patidar (53). Virat Kohli also contributed with a composed 50 as RCB dominated the batting of the innings with aggressive hitting and a flurry of sixes.Mumbai Indians’ chase for the looming target never quite settled into a rhythm. Rohit Sharma had to retire injured on 19 off 13 balls after suffering a hamstring problem, halting MI’s momentum early in the innings. Sherfane Rutherford fought hard with an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls, while Hardik Pandya (40) and Ryan Rickelton (37) provided early hope.However, MI eventually fell short and ended up on 222/5, losing by 18 runs in a high-scoring contest. The result marked their third defeat in a row as RCB continued their strong start to the season, climbing to six points and moving to third in the points table behind Rajasthan Royals (8) and Punjab Kings (7).
