Sunil Gavaskar has issued a chilling warning to IPL 2026 contenders: a resurgent Rohit Sharma and Mumbai Indians are ready to play playoff spoiler. The legendary former India captain believes that Sharma's renewed hunger and explosive batting could derail the qualification hopes of multiple teams in the season's crucial final stretch.
Rohit's return from injury was nothing short of spectacular. He smashed a breathtaking 84 off just 44 balls to power MI to a stunning six-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede Stadium. That chase of 229—the season's highest so far—was built on a 143-run opening stand with Ryan Rickelton and showcased a batter playing with renewed purpose.
"I've been watching Rohit closely over the last year," Gavaskar noted on JioStar. "Ever since he stepped away from captaincy duties in white-ball cricket and the IPL, he's been fully focused on his batting." That shift in mindset is now paying dividends. While Rohit has always been a consistent 400-500 run scorer each season, Gavaskar sees a deeper transformation. "He's always given his team early momentum with those 40-50 run starts. But now he wants to bat deeper and leave a bigger impact."
That was on full display against LSG. "We saw all the classic Rohit Sharma shots—the pull, the drives, the loft over long-off. Against left-arm spinner M Siddharth, he played down the ground, hitting against the turn. We saw a focused, determined Rohit," Gavaskar observed.
The implications for the rest of the tournament are significant. With MI still outside the top four but building serious momentum, their late surge could reshape the playoff picture entirely. "If he continues this form," Gavaskar warned, "Mumbai Indians will hurt the playoff hopes of many teams in the remaining matches."
Of course, it's not all smooth sailing for MI. Gavaskar also pointed to Jasprit Bumrah's recent struggles, advising the pace spearhead to return to basics. But with Rohit firing on all cylinders, Mumbai suddenly look like the dangerous wildcard no team wants to face in a tight playoff race.