As Mumbai Indians prepare to take on Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium on April 23, 2026, there is uncertainty over the availability of Rohit Sharma, who is recovering from a hamstring injury.A decision on Rohit’s participation will be taken just before the toss, with the team management keeping a close eye on his fitness ahead of the high-profile clash. There are encouraging signs from the Mumbai Indians camp. Rohit was seen batting in the nets on Wednesday, undergoing a controlled training session. However, ESPNcricinfo suggests that he mostly faced throw-downs and avoided big shots during his 25-minute stint, indicating a cautious approach to his recovery.The injury suffered earlier this month on April 12 has already ruled him out of MI’s last two matches against Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans. If Rohit is deemed fit to bat but not field, MI can use him as an impact player to handle their workload. This will allow the team to use his batting power without risking further stress on his hamstring.In the event of Rohit’s unavailability, Danish Malivar is likely to continue as the opener with Quinton de Kock deputizing in his absence.
A key figure against CSK
Rohit Sharma is the highest run-scorer in the history of Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings rivalry with 913 runs in 31 matches. Having surpassed 500 IPL runs against CSK alone at the Wankhede Stadium, he has a significant advantage at this point.Mumbai Indians (MI) currently lead Chennai Super Kings (CSK) 21-18 in their 39 aggregate head-to-head encounters in IPL till April 2026. When including Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) elimination matches, the record stands at 22-19 in 41 meetings. These teams have competed in a record four IPL finals (2010, 2013, 2015 and 2019). MI have won three of these four championship events (2013, 2015 and 2019). While MI are historically ahead, CSK have been more successful recently, winning 5 of their last 6 meetings between 2022 and early 2025. MI last won the match on 20 April 2025 by 9 wickets.
