Star India and Mumbai Indians batter Rohit Sharma didn’t attend the team’s practice session on Tuesday, with the team offering no update on his hamstring injury either, according to a report in Cricbuzz.
Rohit didn’t travel to the stadium, fuelling uncertainty over his fitness and availability for the Mumbai Indians’ upcoming clash against the Punjab Kings on Thursday (April 16). As reported earlier, Rohit is dealing with a hamstring injury.
While any hamstring injury is a concern, reports suggest there is no clear evidence of a serious problem that would sideline Rohit for an extended period. He had retired hurt in the sixth over during the Mumbai Indians’ chase against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Monday after scoring 19 off 13 deliveries.
Rohit underwent X-rays, which showed no signs of a tear, according to the report, a development that will come as a major relief to the Mumbai Indians management.
Whether the Mumbai Indians field Rohit on Thursday remains uncertain. The management may prefer to err on the side of caution, given his importance, to avoid aggravating the injury.
But the final call could well rest with Rohit himself, who, given his experience, is best placed to make that decision.
Fans will be hoping it is no more than a minor strain for Rohit, who has enjoyed an injury-free run in the latter part of his career. He was unbeaten on 19 before being replaced by Suryakumar Yadav at the Wankhede Stadium, though he had not quite found fluency despite a promising start to the season.
While Quinton de Kock remains an option on the bench, his inclusion would mean sacrificing an overseas spot lower down the order.
The bigger concern for the Mumbai Indians, however, has been the poor form of their middle order, with Tilak Varma, Suryakumar and Hardik Pandya struggling to fire, leaving the team far less threatening than it appears on paper.
