Former MI captain Rohit Sharma was seen bowling in the nets ahead of the IPL 2026 clash against KKR, reminding Jasprit Bumrah he was once a regular bowler. The viral moment highlighted a relaxed team atmosphere despite being out of the playoffs, and the article also covers Rohit's 2026 batting stats.
The Mumbai Indians (MI) former captain and star batter Rohit Sharma is no stranger to producing viral moments, but his latest stint in the nets ahead of the team’s IPL 2026 clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens brought pure gold to the dressing room.
The MI and KKR will lock horns for the second time in the ongoing IPL season. In the previous encounter, the Sunrisers Hyderabad pulled off a thrilling six-wicket win after chasing down a 244-run target in 18.4 overs, with Travis Head (76) and Heinrich Klaasen (65) powering the Orange Army past Mumbai's imposing total.
The upcoming match is crucial for the Kolkata Knight Riders as they are still in the race for the playoffs, while the Mumbai Indians were already knocked out of the tournament following a disappointing string of results, officially sealing their exit following a recent loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
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Rohit Sharma Shows Bowling Skills in Nets
As the Mumbai Indians prepare for their final away match of the season against the Kolkata Knight Riders, all eyes were on the legendary opener as he decided to mix things up during the team's training session at the historic Eden Gardens.
The relaxed vibe during the pre-match practice session perfectly highlighted how the squad is handling the high-stakes pressure despite being out of the playoff race. In a video that went viral on social media, MI bowling coach Lasith Malinga could be seen playfully calling out the camera crew to notice the unusual sight unfolding on the turf.
The camera shifted towards Rohit Sharma, who smoothly completed his run-up and rolled his arm over to deliver a neat ball, to which Jasprit Bumrah reacted by saying, ‘Beautiful! I’m happy, I’m happy!’ However, the former MI batter shut down the applause, saying, “Brother, what's the hype? I used to be a regular bowler.”
Before switching to batting, Rohit Sharma was the primary spin option for his early franchise, Deccan Chargers, and famously even picked up an IPL hat-trick against the Mumbai Indians back in 2009. He was a bowler before his childhood coach Dinesh Lad saw his batting potential and famously pushed him to bat up the order, a tactical masterstroke that ultimately changed the landscape of modern Indian cricket.
How Did Rohit Sharma Perform in IPL 2026?
The former Mumbai Indians (MI) captain has had a good season with the bat in the ongoing IPL season, recently recovering from a hamstring injury. In the first four matches, the veteran batter has aggregated 137 runs, including a fifty, at an average of 45.66 and a strike rate of 165.06.
Thereafter, Rohit was on the sidelines for over three weeks due to a hamstring injury sustained during the clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 12. Because of the injury, the 39-year-old was forced to miss five consecutive matches, two against the Chennai Super Kings, one each against the Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans, and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Upon his return to action, Rohit Sharma played a match-winning knock of 84 off 44 balls against the Lucknow Super Giants. Thereafter, he registered the scores of 22 and 25 against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Punjab Kings, respectively.
In the IPL 2026, Rohit Sharma has aggregated 268 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 44.66 and a strike rate of 164.41 in seven matches.
