Mumbai Indians: Is Rohit Sharma's injury more serious than it appears? Coach Jayawardene provides an update; here is what he said about Hardik.

The start of IPL 2026 has not gone according to expectations for the Mumbai Indians. After winning their opening match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the team has suffered four consecutive defeats and currently sits in ninth place on the points table. Another cause for concern for the team is that their star batsman, Rohit Sharma, has sustained an injury and missed the match against the Punjab Kings.

Rohit was injured against RCB

Prior to the match against Punjab, the Mumbai Indians faced the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). During this match, the ‘Hitman’ appeared to be struggling with a hamstring issue during the second innings; consequently, he was forced to retire hurt midway through his innings during the sixth over of the run-chase. Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya subsequently confirmed that Rohit had been rested for the match against Punjab. His return to the playing XI remains uncertain at this moment. Hardik stated, “It will take a few matches to assess his current physical condition.”

Team Management Does Not Want to Pressure Rohit

Now, the team’s Head Coach, Mahela Jayawardene, has also provided an update regarding Rohit’s fitness. The Head Coach stated that Rohit Sharma’s injury is not serious, and the team management does not wish to place him under undue pressure, given that the tournament is still in its early stages. Jayawardene remarked, “Rohit began running on Wednesday and has also engaged in batting practice. We are monitoring his progress on a daily basis. While his injury is not severe, we do not want to rush things, especially since the season has only just begun.”

Jayawardene also dismissed suggestions that Captain Hardik Pandya is under pressure following the team’s fourth consecutive defeat. He stated, “I do not believe this is solely Hardik’s responsibility; it is a collective responsibility shared by all of us. When we fail to perform well, it is not the fault of any single individual; rather, it becomes the responsibility of myself and every member of the team management to identify how we can improve our performance.”