‘Rohit and MI will hurt playoff hopes of many teams: Gavaskar warns IPL 2026 opponents

New Delhi: Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believe in revival Rohit Sharma Could drastically change IPL 2026 playoff race, warns mumbai indians Now has enough firepower to derail multiple teams’ hopes of promotion.Rohit marked his return from injury in an emphatic manner as he smashed 84 off 44 balls to guide MI to a record 229-run victory over Lucknow Supergiants by 6 wickets at the Wankhede Stadium. His 143-run debut against Ryan Rickelton set the tone for Mumbai’s third win of the season, but it could have far-reaching consequences.Gavaskar, who has closely followed Rohit’s evolution, noted that there has been a clear shift in the batsman’s mentality since he stepped down from the leadership role. “I have been following Rohit Sharma closely last year. Ever since he was relieved of captaincy in white-ball cricket and IPL, he has focused more on batting,” Gavaskar said on JioStar.Highlighting Rohit’s consistency, he added, “In the IPL, he usually scores 400 to 500 runs a season, but his batting tends to be impactful. He may not have many 80-plus innings, but his 40 to 50 runs in starts gave his team early momentum.”Gavaskar, however, stressed that Rohit is targeting bigger goals now. “The changes in his game are obvious: he now wants to hit the ball deeper and have a bigger impact,” he said, pointing to the authority and range he displayed against LSG. “We saw all the typical Rohit Sharma knocks – pulls, drives, lofted shots from long off. Against left-arm spinner M Siddharth, he was playing on the ground and hitting the ball on the turn. We saw a focused Rohit. “The biggest takeaway from the veteran, though, is that Rohit could have a bigger impact on the tournament. “If he continues in this form, Mumbai Indians will hurt the playoff hopes of many teams in the remaining games,” he warned.With MI still outside the top four but gaining momentum, their late surge could prove decisive in a tight contest.

Jasprit Bumrah under scanner

While Rohit’s form has boosted MI, Gavaskar expressed concerns over Jasprit Bumrah’s struggles this season. “Bumrah tried his best, but he seemed to be trying too many extra things,” he said, pointing to problems without the ball and a drop in pace.“He went too far and it hurt him. He should get back to basics,” Gavaskar added, while backing the top pacer to bounce back quickly. “It only takes one or two games – once he starts picking wickets, he will be back on track.”