New Delhi: Mumbai Indians The batsman Quinton de Kock Made a brilliant comeback as an opener for Mumbai Indians five years later, stepping up in his absence Rohit Sharma They face Punjab Kings on Thursday in IPL 2026.After Rohit was ruled out with a hamstring injury, MI reshuffled their batting order, promoting de Kock to the top, a role he last played in the 2021 season. The move paid off immediately. The left-hander looked in complete control, scoring a fluent half-century in just 28 balls to open the innings.
De Kock also achieved an important milestone during his innings. His 25th IPL fifty as a designated wicket-keeper batsman took him to the past. MS Dhoni (24 fifties), placing him second on the all-time list behind KL Rahul.
Most 50-over scores by a designated WK in IPL
- 31 – KL Rahul
- 25 – Quinton de Kock*
- 24 – MS Dhoni
- 21 – Dinesh Karthik
- 21 – Rishabh Pant
- 20 – Sanju Samson
The landmark came with a quiet single off Yuzvendra Chahalas he raised his bat to acknowledge the crowd.The innings was crucial for Mumbai, who were already dealing with setbacks. Rohit’s absence created a leadership and batting void at the top, while Mitchell Santner was also unavailable due to illness. Captain Hardik Pandya had confirmed before the match that Rohit would miss “a couple of games”, forcing the team to rethink the combination.De Kock’s produced knock not only stabilized the innings but also highlighted his value as a flexible top-order batsman. In a high-pressure situation, his experience ensured that MI didn’t lose early momentum, even as the team navigated key absences in IPL 2026.
