Former India coach Kris Srikkanth has backed Rohit Sharma to start his IPL 2026 campaign, predicting that the Mumbai Indians opener will once again dominate the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium. The former India coach pointed to Rohit’s long-term fitness against KKR as a key factor leading to the clash.
Rohit’s record against KKR has been one of the most consistent in the IPL over the years, with the opener crossing the 1,000-run mark against the franchise. Srikkanth made a bold claim on his YouTube channel about Rohit’s chances in the upcoming competition.
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“KKR used to be a halwa for Rohit Sharma a few years back. Tomorrow he is going to smash their bowling like eating halwa. KKR is his badam halwa team. Once KKR comes, Rohit is in the comfort zone,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
KKR will face Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2026 opener On March 29 at the Wankhede, Rohit will once again be central to their plans. While MI will rely on him for a strong start, KKR will look to Sunil Narine, who has historically had success against Rohit, to keep him in check.
HOW GOOD WAS ROHIT VS KKR IN IPL?
Rohit’s numbers against KKR underscore why expectations remain so high.
The MI opener scored 1,083 runs against KKR at a strike rate of 127.86 during his IPL career, making him one of the few players to cross the 1,000-run mark against a single franchise. His record includes six half-centuries and one century, with a top score of an unbeaten 109 at the Eden Gardens.
However, a closer look shows that his recent returns against KKR have dipped and his last half-century against them will return in 2020. At the Wankhede Stadium, Rohit scored 238 runs against KKR at a strike rate of 120.81.
Despite this, Rohit has developed significantly as a T20 batter in the last two seasons. After maintaining a strike rate of around 133 between 2016 and 2023, he took it up to 150 in 2024 and 149.28 in 2025, reflecting a more aggressive approach at the top. MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene also highlighted this shift in Rohit’s approach ahead of the season.
“Yes, I think it is true. But there has been a transformation in Rohit. We have seen determination from his side. He has trained his skills for a long time as well – that is what he is in control of, what he can do,” Jayawardene said at the pre-match press conference.
“I am quite happy with what I have seen in the practice games and in the nets – hand speed, technique, everything. Plus, he also has his experience as he has played 18 years of IPL,” he added.
MI will expect Rohit to continue to deliver the blistering runs he is known for. However, KKR will rely on Sunil Narine to capitalize on his strong back-to-back record against the former India skipper, who dismissed him 10 times in 28 innings and restricted him to a strike rate of 106.77. With Rohit’s dominant record and Narine’s proven edge in the game, the contest promises to be a fascinating battle at the Wankhede.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
29 March 2026 15:30 IST
