Mumbai Indians coach BREAKS silence on Rohit Sharma’s ‘Impact Player’ criticism, says…

Mumbai Indians coach Mahela Jayawardene signals a change in strategy, stating Rohit Sharma won’t be restricted to a batting-only Impact Player role in IPL 2026.

IPL 2026, Rohit Sharma, Mumbai Indians, MI, Mahela Jayawardene, Kolkata Knight Riders, KKR, MI vs KKR, Wankhede Stadium, Rohit Sharma as impact player, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, — Mahela Jayawardene breaks silence on Rohit Sharma’s ‘Impact Player’ criticism (Source: X)

IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene has made it clear that he wants Rohit Sharma to stay actively involved on the field throughout IPL 2026. In the previous season, Rohit was often used as an Impact Player, which meant he was part of the playing XI purely as a batter. However, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Jayawardene indicated a shift in approach, and said that Rohit will not be limited to a specialist role where he only bats and sits out during fielding.

Jayawardene opened up on Rohit Sharma’s role as impact player

Jayawardene stressed that such limited involvement could disrupt a player’s rhythm – a concern that had recently been raised by former India cricketer Aakash Chopra.

“Ro… the way we managed him last year… He had a few niggles so we just needed to manage that,” Jayawardene said.

“The thing is he’s still making a huge impact on the team whether he’s on the field or not. But, definitely, this year, I want to keep him more on the field as much as I can. But the thing is when we are rotating the bowlers or the impact player, at which point that impact player is coming and if all other players need to be on the field at that time [needs to be considered],” he added.

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Jayawardene further pointed out that the Mumbai Indians squad is packed with all-rounders, joking that only Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav do not offer bowling options. Given this team balance, he hinted that there remains a possibility of Rohit being used as an Impact Player at times, as it could allow captain Hardik Pandya greater flexibility with his bowling combinations.

“If you look at it, most of our guys are all-rounders, and they do bowl as well. So if the captain needs that option on the field, it’s something that I have to look at and discuss depending on the opposition that we’re playing… The 2 guys who are not all-rounders at the moment are Rohit and Surya (Suryakumar Yadav). So, can you help me with that decision-making process?” he concluded.

MI to take on KKR in IPL 2026 opener

Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians will kick off their IPL 2026 camapign against Ajinkya Rahane-led Kolkata Knight Riders at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 29, followed by match against Delhi Capitals on April 4 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Rajasthan Royals on April 7 at Barsapara Stadium, and defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 12 in Mumbai.