IPL 2026: Mahela Jayawardhene, the head coach of the Mumbai Indians, has revealed that star batter Rohit Sharma won't be playing as an impact player during the upcoming season. During an interaction at an MI event, he explained why they used the ex-MI skipper as an impact sub last year, a decision that drew significant criticism from fans.
Jayawardhene explained that during IPL 2025, Rohit had injury issues that required the team to manage his workload. Rohit was not at his best that season, and with the captaincy transitioning to Hardik Pandya, the franchise decided to limit Rohit's field time.
“The way we managed Rohit last year was because he had a few niggles, so we needed to manage that," Jayawardhene told reporters. “He still made a huge impact on the team, whether on the field or not. This year, I want him on the field as much as possible."
He also revealed that they would want Rohit to stay on the field for a long time. But he also highlighted that since they have many all-rounders in the team, their use of Impact Player will depend on the match situation.
"But the thing is, when we are rotating the bowlers or the impact player, at which point that impact player is coming, and if all other players need to be on the field at that time, [needs to be considered]," he said.
“If you look at it, most of our guys are all-rounders, and they do bowl as well. So if the captain needs that option on the field, it’s something I have to look at and discuss, depending on the opposition we’re playing. The two guys who are not all-rounders at the moment are Rohit and Surya (Suryakumar Yadav). So, can you help me with that decision-making process?" he concluded.
The Hardik Pandya-led side will lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders during their tournament opener. The MI will look forward to watching Rohit at his absolute best. He has scored 400 runs in consecutive seasons, but hasn't helped the team win the title in recent years.