Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh urged the Mumbai Indians (MI) to stop using veteran opener Rohit Sharma as an impact substitute on the field during the upcoming IPL 2026 season. The former cricketer said that captain Hardik Pandya needs Sharma’s leadership experience during tough match situations.
The IPL 2026 season will begin on Saturday, March 28, with a match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Mumbai Indians will start their campaign the following day. They are set to face the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 29, when Rohit returns to competitive cricket.
The Impact Player rule allows teams to substitute a player at any point during a match. Over the past two seasons, the Mumbai-based franchise used Rohit as a designated batter. He spent the bulk of the fielding innings sitting in the dugout rather than standing on the field.
Sharma recently shed several kilos and improved his fitness levels. Following his retirement from Test cricket, he answered critics by scoring heavily in recent ODIs. Harbhajan Singh stated that the 38-year-old is ready to play the entire duration of a match.
"Rohit Sharma has been used as the 12th man who just bats, but I feel that the kind of leader he has been, a player like him should be on the field," Harbhajan told JioHotstar.
"In tough matches, when you need to take certain calls, when a captain sometimes needs a shoulder to lean on, Rohit Sharma can do that for Hardik Pandya,” he added.
Rohit Sharma Should Be On The Ground For All 40 Overs - Aakash Chopra
Former opening batter Aakash Chopra also shared similar thoughts regarding Rohit's role. He stated that watching 20 overs from the sidelines disrupts the natural routine of a top-order player preparing to bat.
"Logically, if you are fit, you should play the whole game and not be substituted. Especially when you are batting second, you shouldn't come in as an impact player. An opener is not used to watching 20 overs of the match from the dugout. Opening batters are used to staying on the field, preparing accordingly and then hitting the ground running,” said Chopra.
"Rohit Sharma is the fittest, meanest and maybe the strongest at this point in time, so he should be on the ground for all 40 overs. That's actually how the Mumbai Indians will be able to make full use of Rohit Sharma," he added.
Rohit Sharma Is the Leading Run-Scorer for the Mumbai Indians in IPL History
During IPL 2025, Rohit scored 418 runs in 15 matches at an average of 29.86 and a strike rate of 149.29, including four half-centuries. Notably, he surpassed the 7,000-run milestone during the Eliminator match against the Gujarat Titans.
Sharma has participated in the league since its inaugural edition in 2008. Overall, he has scored 7,046 runs in 272 matches at an average of 29.73 and a strike rate of 132.10, including 47 half-centuries and two centuries.
The Mumbai Indians management must decide how to utilize their former captain. His fielding presence provides tactical support for Hardik Pandya as the franchise competes for their sixth title this year.
Also read: Royal Challengers Bengaluru attract $2 billion interest from EQT Group ahead Of IPL 2026 season
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