Rohit Sharma has kicked off his preparations for IPL 2026 with a practice session at Mumbai’s iconic Shivaji Park on March 7.
A quiet afternoon at the historic ground soon turned lively as a large crowd gathered to watch the Mumbai Indians star bat. Fans surrounded the nets and cheered loudly as Rohit played his trademark strokes.
The former MI captain looked comfortable during the session. He practiced a wide range of shots including flicks, pulls and elegant cover drives. Rohit also spent time working on his front-foot defence, showing a focused approach in the nets.
Every crisp connection off the bat drew applause from the crowd. Many fans recorded the session on their phones while others simply watched in excitement as one of India’s most celebrated batters trained at the famous venue.
IPL 2026 will run from March 28 to May 31. Rohit is coming into the season after a solid 2025 campaign in which he scored 418 runs in 15 matches.
Over the years, Rohit has been one of the most successful leaders in IPL history. He guided Mumbai Indians to five titles in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020, making MI one of the league’s most dominant teams during that period.
However, the franchise has struggled in the last five seasons and is now entering a new phase.
Hardik Pandya has taken over as Mumbai Indians captain. The all-rounder earlier led Gujarat Titans to the IPL title in 2022 and followed it with a runners-up finish in 2023.
Despite stepping aside as captain, Rohit remains a key figure in the MI setup as a senior batter and leader in the dressing room.
His IPL record reflects his long-standing impact in the tournament. Rohit has scored 7046 runs in 272 matches with two centuries and 47 fifties. He averages 29.73 and strikes at 132.09.
Mumbai Indians have also assembled a strong squad for the upcoming season. The team features several experienced stars including Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Trent Boult and Quinton de Kock among others.
With Rohit already back in the nets and fans turning up to watch, the early signs suggest excitement is building in Mumbai ahead of the new IPL season.