Rohit Sharma fitness doubt adds to MI’s worries against PBKS

What a turn of events. Mumbai Indians started IPL 2026 with a win over Kolkata Knight Riders, but then it seemed like a different team. Three straight losses and a ninth place in the table, fans are already starting to wonder where the season is heading. And then, as luck would have it, a new problem: Rohit Sharma fitness doubt adds to MI’s worries against PBKS. Just ahead of the match on Thursday at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Rohit Sharma fitness doubt adds to MI’s worries against PBKS: squad problem

During the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rohit suffered a hamstring injury. He scored 19 runs from 13 deliveries and left the field. Cricbuzz later reported that the player was awaiting scans to determine the extent of the injury. In the pre-match press conference, Naman Dhir said that Rohit Sharma fitness doubt adds to MI’s worries against PBKS and he is currently being assessed by doctors and the coaching staff.

If Rohit doesn’t take the field, the batting order will have to be reshuffled. There is an option to put Suryakumar Yadav in the starting lineup. Incidentally, he already opened for MI in 2018, when he scored 441 runs in 12 matches with an average of 36.75. The numbers are decent. Another option is Quinton de Kock. But then we’ll have to think about how to use Sherfein Rutherford, who has been playing as an Impact Sub for now.

Rohit Sharma fitness doubt adds to MI’s worries against PBKS: solutions

Now let’s look at the opponent. Punjab Kings are the only team in the tournament that is unbeaten. And that’s despite them not being properly tested. There was also a meeting with KKR, but the rain at Eden Gardens ruined everything, and the result was never revealed. Punjab has historically played well in Mumbai, and given MI’s current state, they’ll certainly want to continue their impressive run.

Shreyas Iyer is leading the way as captain of PBKS: he’s already scored 137 runs, crossing 50 twice. However, there’s a warning sign: the team has twice conceded over 200 runs. Yes, they’ve caught up and won in the penultimate over both times, but there is no reliability here.

Now about MI’s main headache: Jasprit Bumrah. Yes, an economy of 8.20 runs on such batsman-friendly pitches is still not bad. But where are the wickets? There aren’t any. Five matches and 122 deliveries without taking a wicket is Bumrah’s personal worst record in the IPL. A nightmare for any attack leader. New partner Trent Boult has taken just one wicket with an economy of 12.22 runs. It’s just a disaster. Aside from Mitchell Santner, every MI bowler concedes more than ten runs per over.

In four innings at Wankhede this season, the lowest team scored 220. Bowlers are on edge and the crowd is enjoying the sixes. To feel confident, they should aim for around 240. And if you’re lucky with the draw, it’s better to choose the chase – that’s obvious. There will be no rain, the sky is clear, it will be hot: the temperature is around 29°C, the humidity is around 50–60 percent. A typical Mumbai hothouse atmosphere.

34 matches since 2008, with each team having 17 wins. At Wankhede, the score is 5-5. The teams last met in Mumbai in 2023, and PBKS won by 13 runs. So we expect a tense battle this time too.

Here’s what experts think the lineups might look like.

MI: Rohit Sharma / Suryakumar Yadav, Ryan Rickelton (wicket-keeper), Raj Angad Bawa, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (captain), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Trent Bolt, Mayank Markande, Jasprit Bumrah. Impact Sub – Sherfane Rutherford.

PBKS: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wicket-keeper), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijayakumar Vishak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.

The situation at MI is not easy. Rohit Sharma fitness doubt adds to MI’s worries against PBKS. But even if he plays, Bumrah’s form and that of the entire attack remain a major question mark. PBKS, on the other hand, are looking confident so far, but their defense isn’t perfect. Both teams have chances and this is what makes the upcoming match truly interesting.