IPL 2026: Fit again, Rohit Sharma likely to open, Gujarat Titans face middle-order muddle

Rohit Sharma during MI’s training session in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Pic/PTI

Rohit Sharma came to the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium almost 90 minutes before the team arrived for the pre-match nets on Sunday, but his inclusion in the Mumbai Indians playing XI will be decided only on the morning of the match against Gujarat Titans on Monday.

Rohit did some range-hitting against support staff and some net bowlers provided by the Gujarat Cricket Association and looked fit to get going. However, Paras Mhambrey, the MI bowling coach, told reporters that the T20 World Cup-winning India captain will be evaluated by the medical team and coach Mahela Jayawardene before a decision is taken about his inclusion in the side.

GT captain Shubman Gill in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Pic/GT

MI are lying at the bottom of the 10-team league table after four successive defeats. They started the season by breaking a 13-year-long jinx of not winning the first match of the season when they beat Kolkata Knight Riders at home in a match that saw a total of 444 runs scored at Wankhede.

When asked about possible changes in the playing XI, Mahmbrey sidestepped the question and said: "That's not something in my domain. That's very much for the team management in terms of Mahela, Hardik [Pandya] and the other senior guys. We still have a good 24 hours to look at the combination, the surface and that call will be taken by them."

If MI are struggling big time, the GT also have a problem with their top three doing most of the load-bearing. After five matches, only Washington Sundar has a total personal score in three figures (111). The rest of the three combined have contributed 120 runs in five outings.

However, GT assistant coach Parthiv Patel defended his batters, saying: "Obviously our top three are spending a lot of time in the middle, so they [the others] are not getting enough balls anyway, so their role is completely different. I know there is lot of external talk about GT's middle-order, but as
far as we are concerned, we are quite okay with what's happening," Parthiv added.

165.06
Rohit Sharma's strike-rate in four games this season - the best among Indian MI players (minimum three balls faced)

Three
Consecutive 50-plus scores for GT skipper Shubman Gill; he has amassed 212 runs in his last three games

Zero
No. of matches MI have won against GT in Ahmedabad - GT have won all four

3-5
MI's win-loss record against GT in eight matches

One
No. of games MI have won from their last five encounters against GT