IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians coach Mahela Jayawardene has confirmed that former MI skipper Rohit Sharma will not be playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 as an impact player.

Before the IPL 2024 mega-auction, Hardik Pandya replaced Rohit Sharma as the skipper of the Mumbai-based franchise on December 15, 2023. The decision by the MI management created a rift among fans, many of whom wanted to see Rohit continue leading the side. The former captain had previously guided Mumbai Indians to a historic five IPL titles.

In IPL 2025, Rohit Sharma was not at his best and featured as an impact player in several matches. The 38-year-old played 15 games, scoring 418 runs at a strike rate of 149.28 in the 18th season of the league.

Mahela Jayawardene Opens Up On Rohit Sharma's Role In IPL 2026

Speaking at an event, Mumbai Indians coach Mahela Jayawardene revealed that Rohit was not fully fit and had a few niggles during IPL 2025. He added that he wants to keep the veteran opener more involved on the field in the upcoming season.

“Rohit, the way we managed him last year — he had a few niggles, so we just needed to manage that. 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 more on the field as much as I can,” Jayawardene said.

However, the MI coach also admitted that there could be situations where Rohit might need to play as an impact player to strengthen the bowling attack.

“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, that needs to be considered,” he added.

He further explained, “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?”

Rohit Sharma's Numbers In IPL

Rohit Sharma is regarded as one of the greatest players in T20 cricket. Not only has he excelled with the Indian team, but he has also been a stalwart for Mumbai Indians.

The veteran batter has played 272 matches and 267 innings in the IPL, scoring 7,046 runs at a strike rate of 132.09 and an average of 29.73. He has registered two centuries and 47 half-centuries in the tournament.