Rohit Sharma back in the nets but still not cleared as Mumbai Indians wait on their opener
Rohit Sharma has resumed hitting in the nets at Mumbai Indians training and is pushing to be back for the home leg of the season, but the franchise is still holding him back from match action. The opener has missed the last two games with a hamstring issue picked up against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Hardik Pandya's side has slipped further behind in the IPL 2026 playoff race in the meantime.
How the injury happened
Rohit was on 19 at the Wankhede when he pulled up holding the back of his leg and had to retire hurt. He did not come back out to bat and missed the trip to Ahmedabad for the clash against Gujarat Titans on April 20, which Mumbai won by 99 runs off the back of Tilak Varma's 45-ball century. Bowling coach Paras Mhambrey had suggested earlier in the week that Rohit was close to fitness and had been seen working on pull shots in the nets, but the playing XI was named without him.
What the recovery timeline looks like
Hamstring strains of the kind Rohit has picked up typically need eight to fourteen days of rehab before a player is cleared for match intensity. That puts Mumbai's next two fixtures, including the home clash against Chennai Super Kings on April 23, right on the border. The concern inside the MI medical team is less about whether he can bat and more about the risk of turning a partial strain into a full tear if he runs the first sharp two too hard.
Why Mumbai cannot afford to rush him
Rohit was carrying MI's top order before the injury, with 137 runs in four innings at a strike rate north of 165, including a 78 against KKR that turned into one of the knocks of his IPL career. Without him, Mumbai's powerplay has gone flat, Tilak Varma has been asked to do too much, and Ryan Rickelton has looked like a specialist rather than a partner. The league table has done the rest of the talking. If Rohit is not ready for CSK, there is a real chance he misses another fixture, and another chance for MI to settle the top order before the season gets away from them.
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