Rohit Sharma marked his return from injury in emphatic fashion. Back in the XI after a brief spell out with a hamstring issue, the swashbuckling opener smashed 84 in a daunting 229-run chase, guiding Mumbai Indians to a much-needed win and snapping their losing streak. The former MI skipper had missed the last five matches, and with the team under pressure and their campaign hanging in the balance, he rose to the occasion when it mattered most. In a do-or-die situation, Rohit set the tone right from the start, taking on the bowlers with authority while ensuring the chase never drifted off course.
The 39-year-old brought up his second fifty of the season in style, finishing with six fours and seven towering sixes in a fluent 44-ball knock. He looked in complete control, mixing caution with aggression and picking his moments to attack. Rohit found solid support in Ryan Rickelton, whose explosive 83 off just 32 balls laid the perfect platform for the chase at the Wankhede Stadium. The duo stitched together a massive 143-run opening stand, effectively taking the game away from Lucknow Super Giants and putting Mumbai firmly in control early in the innings.
Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary was full of praise for Rohit Sharma following his commanding return, highlighting the ease and fluency with which the veteran opener went about his innings despite a lengthy layoff due to injury.
"He was playing in a free-flowing manner, it did not seem that he was playing a match after a long time. Whenever we used to see an opposition batter playing well, we used to say that he has come after practicing in the dressing room, and Rohit Sharma has played an innings just like that," Manoj Tiwary said on Cricbuzz.
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“Shows the value of Rohit Sharma in MI”
He further underlined the impact of Rohit Sharma’s return, pointing out how the veteran opener’s presence transformed the look and confidence of the Mumbai Indians unit after a difficult run without him.
"All of the fans who were watching this must be thinking, where was this Mumbai Indians? This shows the value of Rohit Sharma in the side. He was not playing the last few matches, and everyone was feeling his absence, right? You saw the difference of Rohit Sharma being there and not being there today," he added.