The Mumbai Indians (MI) are gearing up for IPL 2026 with a clear shift in how they plan to use one of their biggest stars – Rohit Sharma. After a season where he was largely restricted to an Impact Player role due to fitness concerns, head coach Mahela Jayawardene has now made it clear that the franchise wants Rohit to be much more involved on the field this time around.
Mumbai Indians set to move away from Impact Player strategy
Last season, Rohit’s role was carefully managed. He was often used purely as a batter, stepping in when needed but not always taking the field. While he still contributed significantly with the bat, the approach raised eyebrows, with many feeling that a player of his stature should have a more complete presence in the game. Now, that’s set to change.
“Rohit, the way we managed him last year, obviously he had a few niggles as well, so you just needed to manage that. And the thing is he’s still making a huge impact on the team, whether he’s on the field or not. But definitely this year I want to keep him on the field as much as I can,” Jayawardene stated.
The biggest reason behind this shift? Rohit’s improved fitness. According to the MI camp, the veteran opener has put in serious work during the off-season and looks sharper than ever.
“He has done a lot of work behind the scenes. He had a lot of skill work done in the last week. He joined us on the first day of our training camp. He looked very good in the nets. This is a newer version of Rohit as well – much fitter and very committed. So, I’m looking forward to him leading us from the top,” Jayawardene added.
For MI, this is more than just a tactical tweak – it’s about bringing back one of their most experienced players into the heart of the action as they chase another IPL title.
Selection headaches for MI as all-round depth complicates decisions
While the intent to keep Rohit on the field is clear, executing that plan isn’t entirely straightforward. Mumbai Indians have built a squad packed with all-rounders – players who can contribute with both bat and ball – which creates a unique selection puzzle for the coaching staff.
Jayawardene openly admitted that balancing the team combination while keeping Rohit consistently in the XI could require some tough decisions.
“When we’re rotating the bowlers or using the Impact Player – at which point that impact comes in, the timing and all that – if the other players need to be on the field… because 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,” Jayawardene explained.
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The situation gets even more interesting with players like Tilak Varma stepping up as additional bowling options, further strengthening MI’s flexibility – but also making selection calls trickier.
“And because [the Impact Player] is bowling as well, he’s put his hand up and said, ‘I’m available,’ so I can’t take him out. The two guys who are not all-rounders at the moment are Rohit and Surya, so that leaves me with that decision-making process. We’ll see how it goes,” he added with a smile.
Despite these challenges, Rohit’s presence remains crucial. In IPL 2025, he scored 418 runs in 15 innings, finishing as MI’s second-highest run-scorer. More importantly, his experience and leadership continue to be invaluable for a team aiming to return to the top.
With MI set to begin their campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium, all eyes will be on how this “new version” of Rohit Sharma fits into the XI. One thing is certain – he won’t just be walking in to bat anymore; he’ll be right in the thick of the action.
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