NEW DELHI: One question dominated the build-up to Mumbai Indians’ clash against Punjab Kings: will Rohit Sharma play?The day before the game there was uncertainty. The MI team management remained tight-lipped and their media manager confirmed that the decision rested with the medical staff. Suffering a hamstring injury against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rohit missed the session and only made a brief appearance later with his leg tied without picking up the bat.
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Jitesh Sharma reveals RCB’s batting mindset Scans reportedly followed, fueling fears the injury could sideline him for more than just one game.The timing couldn’t have been worse. Rohit has looked good in IPL 2026, anchoring MI’s campaign with a fluent 78 against Kolkata Knight Riders and a steady 35 against Delhi Capitals. His absence threatened to disrupt combinations, forcing a rethink that could return Quinton de Kock back to the top while also reshuffling the middle order.By the time of the toss the speculation was over. After Punjab skipper Shreyas Iyer asked MI to bat first, captain Hardik Pandya confirmed to Rohit that he will miss the game and possibly more. “He will have a few games,” Pandya said, making it clear that MI are not willing to rush their veteran.There was also more disruption. Mitchell Santner was ruled out due to illness, prompting further changes. De Kock made a comeback while Mayank Rawat got his debut cap.It wasn’t just about one missing player for MI. Rohit’s absence takes away experience and stability at the top. As the tournament heats up, how quickly he recovers could affect not just this match but the entire Mumbai Indians IPL 2026 campaign.
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MI vs PBKS Playing XI
Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh (w), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Cooper Connolly, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.Impact Subs Punjab Kings: Nehal Wadhera, Vishnu Vinod, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Yash ThakurMumbai Indians (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mayank Rawat, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit BumrahMumbai Indians Impact Subs: AM Ghazanfar, Corbin Bosch, Raj Bawa, Robin Minz, Ashwani Kumar
