Rohit Sharma marked a memorable return to Mumbai Indians’ playing XI with a commanding performance against Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday, while also achieving a significant IPL milestone in the process.
The former MI captain played a blistering knock of 84 runs off just 44 balls, striking seven sixes and six boundaries at an impressive strike rate of 190.91. His aggressive approach set the tone for Mumbai Indians’ chase and kept the home crowd firmly engaged throughout his stay at the crease.
During the course of his innings, Rohit Sharma also etched his name further into IPL history by surpassing Royal Challengers Bengaluru star Virat Kohli in the all-time appearance list. The match in Mumbai marked Rohit’s 277th IPL appearance, moving him past Kohli, who has featured in 276 matches. This achievement places Rohit second on the elite list of most IPL appearances.
At the top of this chart remains Chennai Super Kings icon MS Dhoni, who has played 278 matches in the league so far. However, with Dhoni currently sidelined due to a persistent calf strain and both Rohit and Kohli still active in the tournament, the record is expected to change hands soon.
Rohit’s innings was a blend of classic strokeplay and controlled aggression. He repeatedly punished loose deliveries, especially with his trademark pull shots and wristy flicks, drawing loud cheers from the Wankhede crowd.
However, his knock eventually came to an end when he was dismissed by Manimaran Siddharth’s left-arm spin. Mumbai Indians also faced brief setbacks as Tilak Varma departed for 11, while stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav managed only 12 runs.
Despite the middle-order wobble, Naman Dhir (23) and Will Jacks (10*) held their nerve, with Jacks finishing the match in style by hitting the winning six to guide MI to victory.
Earlier in the match, Lucknow Super Giants posted a competitive total, powered by Nicholas Pooran’s explosive 63 off 21 balls. Mitchell Marsh also provided a strong start with 44 off 25 deliveries, as the duo stitched together a 94-run stand for the second wicket.
Mumbai’s Corbin Bosch brought the team back into the contest with crucial breakthroughs, dismissing both Pooran and Marsh in the ninth over. However, Lucknow recovered through Aiden Markram (31*) and Himmat Singh (40), who added 68 runs for the sixth wicket to push the total to a challenging score.
Despite their efforts, Lucknow’s total proved insufficient as Mumbai Indians chased it down successfully, with Rohit Sharma’s explosive innings standing out as the defining moment of the match.
