Harbhajan Singh Reflects on Rohit Sharma's Impact in IPL 2026 Comeback

In a recent discussion, Harbhajan Singh expressed his thoughts on Rohit Sharma's injury and its impact on the Mumbai Indians' performance in IPL 2026. Following Rohit's impressive comeback, where he scored 84 runs against the Lucknow Super Giants, Harbhajan believes that an earlier return could have changed MI's fortunes. He emphasizes the importance of winning remaining matches to keep playoff hopes alive. Discover more about Rohit's crucial role and MI's current standing in the league.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 6, 2026, 02:23 IST

Harbhajan Singh Comments on Rohit Sharma's Injury and Comeback

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] - On May 5, former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh shared his thoughts on Rohit Sharma's recent injury, expressing a desire that it had healed sooner. He believes that an earlier recovery could have enabled the Mumbai Indians (MI) to secure additional victories in the ongoing IPL 2026 season.

Harbhajan's remarks followed Rohit's impressive return, where he scored 84 runs in a crucial match against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), helping MI break their three-match losing streak with a six-wicket victory. Opening the innings alongside Ryan Rickelton, who scored 83 off just 32 balls, Rohit’s 84 came off 44 deliveries, featuring six fours and seven sixes. Their partnership of 143 runs off merely 65 balls was pivotal in chasing down a target of 229 runs.

Rohit had previously suffered a hamstring injury during a match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 12. Following his injury, MI played five matches, managing only one win, which severely impacted their playoff aspirations.

During a discussion on JioStar, Harbhajan Singh noted that MI's campaign could have been more successful had Rohit returned from injury sooner. He emphasized that winning all remaining matches could still keep MI's hopes alive, potentially reaching 14 points, although qualification would depend on other teams' performances and net run rate.

“I wish his injury had healed a little earlier; who knows, they might have won a game or two during that losing streak and would have still been alive in the competition. They will give themselves a chance if they win every game from here and get to 14 points. Who knows, if other teams start losing, there could be a net run-rate situation at 14 points, anything can happen,” Harbhajan remarked.

Harbhajan highlighted Rohit's significant contribution on the field, stating that his presence was crucial for the team's performance. He noted that while a century would have been ideal, Rohit’s innings were exceptional and minimized the pressure on his teammates.

“It’s important to be in the middle. You can do only so much sitting in the dugout. But you can make a difference by being in the middle, and Rohit Sharma did exactly that. You needed that foundation to chase down that many runs, and he didn’t just lay the foundation, but built a couple of floors on it as well, leaving very little for the rest to do. It would have been even better if he had gotten his hundred, but for the time he was there, he played exceptionally well,” Harbhajan added.

Despite the victory over LSG, MI currently ranks ninth in the IPL 2026 points table, with only three wins from ten matches. The only team below them is LSG, which has secured just two wins in nine matches so far.