MI vs LSG: Why Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians have benched India captain Rohit Sharma

Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) are eyeing their second win of the season as they take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in today’s Indian Premier League clash. Currently placed sixth on the points table with one win and two points from three games, MI is known for making strong comebacks, even from the bottom of the table to lift the trophy. These are still early days, and a team of MI’s calibre can never be written off.

Much of MI’s legacy has been shaped by Rohit Sharma, their former captain and a key figure in their dominance over the years. Rohit, the first IPL captain to win five titles, has been instrumental both with the bat and as a tactician, often outsmarting opponents with his smart captaincy. He remains MI’s all-time leading run-scorer, amassing 5,466 runs in 214 matches, and is also among the few players to score 1,000 runs against KKR.

While Rohit is listed among the Impact Players and could potentially bat if required during MI’s chase, he is not part of the playing XI today due to a knee injury sustained during practice, as confirmed by MI skipper Hardik Pandya. His absence has left many fans disappointed.


Mumbai Indians’ Playing XI:
Will Jacks, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Raj Bawa, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Ashwani Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Vignesh Puthur

Lucknow Super Giants’ Playing XI:
Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (wk/c), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Akash Deep, Avesh Khan

In their first home match at the Wankhede Stadium, MI surprised fans by excluding Rohit Sharma from the playing XI in their home game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), sparking plenty of speculation. With today’s official confirmation of his injury, MI will now hope to adapt quickly and find momentum as they chase another title.