‘Old man’ Rohit Sharma wins Mahela Jayawardene’s trust after staying committed to Mumbai Indians’ two-week timelime

Rohit Sharma was unfortunate to miss out on what would have been his third IPL century, but his knock was worth its weight in gold.

Updated on: May 5, 2026, 14:30:38 IST

Written by Aditya Bhattacharya

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

‘Old man’ Rohit Sharma earned head coach Mahela Jayawardene’s trust after the 39-year-old batted with the fluency of a 29-year-old in his comeback match of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) against Lucknow Super Giants on Monday. Rohit, returning from a hamstring injury, scored 84 off 44 balls, powering MI’s successful chase of 229 and ending the franchise’s winless streak. He was unfortunate to miss out on what would have been his third IPL century, but his knock was worth its weight in gold.

Mahela Jayawardene, left, and Rohit Sharma (Screengrab)

After the match, Jayawardene spoke about Rohit, shedding light on his road to recovery. As MI owner Nita Ambani presented the Maverick Award to him, Jayawardene praised Rohit for his commitment. As it turns out, Rohit was eager to return to action early, but the physios and management chose to give him more time, a decision that clearly paid off.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma’s masterful return speaks of hunger, hurt and a refusal to fade into the sunset

“Before he says a few words, it was a brilliant effort from him. He worked hard to get where he was. He was desperate to play, but we were patient with the old man, this time around. Usually, he makes a comeback in a week’s time, but we gave him an extra week to do what he needed to do,” he said inside the dressing room after MI’s six-wicket win.

What Rohit's comeback means

This was Rohit’s first outing in almost a month. Prior to this, he last played on April 12 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, when he retired hurt on 19. The fact that Rohit showed no rust and slipped back into his groove immediately bodes well for his fitness and his chances for next year’s World Cup. He has put in a tremendous amount of hard work to lose close to 15 kilos, and it’s evident in his batting. Provided he remains injury-free, which he should given he is now playing only one format for India, the 2027 World Cup in South Africa looks a strong possibility.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma’s ‘greatness’ acknowledged as Rickelton bows to ex-skipper after MI break losing run

How he fares in MI’s remaining games will offer deeper insight. More than the runs, it is how his body holds up that will capture attention. India have a busier ODI calendar this year compared to last, and with challenging tours of England and New Zealand lined up, Rohit knows the road ahead won’t be easy. If he makes the cut for the World Cup, he would be 40-plus, the oldest Indian to feature in the 50-over showpiece.

So far, so good, but at this stage, it is not enough for Rohit. The road ahead needs to bring more hits than misses.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aditya Bhattacharya
Aditya Bhattacharya is the Sports Editor at Hindustan Times Digital, with close to 15 years of experience in sports journalism. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading media organisations including Cricbuzz, The Times of India, Network18 and Zee. Primarily a cricket writer, Aditya has covered several marquee events, including the 2016 ICC World T20, the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and the 2023 World Cup in India. His reporting portfolio also includes international cricket across England, South Africa and New Zealand, along with forays into tennis, including coverage of the Australian Open. He has interviewed several prominent athletes across sports. Aditya began his career with a brief stint at CricketNext before getting his first major break at Cricbuzz, where he was part of the Times Network’s startup venture GoCricket, which later merged with Cricbuzz. After nearly 18 months there, he moved to The Times of India, covering his first World Cup assignment and reporting first-hand on landmark moments such as Virat Kohli’s iconic innings against Australia in Mohali. During his three-year tenure, he played a key role in both reporting and desk operations and was recognised as TOI Employee of the Quarter in 2016. He later joined Zee, where he covered the 2019 World Cup across five venues in England—an assignment he considers a career highlight. At Hindustan Times, Aditya’s leadership came to the fore as he was promoted to lead the sports team within 18 months. Under his stewardship, the section has delivered extensive coverage of global sporting events, including the IPL, Olympics, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2024, he was named HT DigiStar of the Year. Aditya continues to adapt to the evolving digital publishing landscape, with a sharp focus on search and audience engagement. Outside work, he occasionally plays the guitar and remains an avid gamer.Read More

Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.