Here is why Rohit Sharma Isn’t Playing Today’s IPL 2025 Match 16 Against LSG

Mumbai Indians were dealt a setback ahead of their IPL 2025 clash against Lucknow Super Giants as senior opener and former captain Rohit Sharma was ruled out of the fixture due to a knee injury sustained during a net session.

The news was confirmed by MI captain Hardik Pandya at the toss, where he opted to bowl first at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.

“Rohit got hit in the knee in nets and he misses out,” Pandya revealed. “Jasprit should be back soon.”

MI Tinker with Playing XI Amid Injury Concerns

In Rohit’s absence, England’s Will Jacks was drafted into the playing XI, while Raj Angad Bawa made his debut for the franchise, replacing Afghan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Bawa, a promising Indian all-rounder, has previously been part of the Indian U-19 setup and brings fresh energy to the squad.

Rohit’s injury comes at a time when the 36-year-old was slowly trying to find form in the season. Having played three matches, he managed only 20 runs and had been utilized as an Impact Player in the last two games. His absence from the starting XI will be closely monitored by the franchise and fans alike, especially with MI already facing pressure after an inconsistent start to their campaign.

Hardik on Strategy and Surface

Speaking about the decision to bowl first, Pandya cited the freshness of the wicket and the potential for dew in the second half as major factors behind his call.

“Looks like a fresh wicket. Not sure how it is going to play. Dew might come in later. Thought better to chase,” said the MI captain.

He also emphasized the team’s internal discussions around focusing on adaptability rather than overanalyzing playing conditions.

“We in a group have spoken that we don’t want to talk about the wickets. We are here to play good cricket. That’s the talk we have.”

Opposition Confident Despite Inconsistent Form

Meanwhile, LSG captain Rishabh Pant, who also took over the gloves and leadership responsibilities, expressed confidence in his team’s strong batting lineup.

“I think we are pretty confident as a batting unit. Few of our players haven’t come off including me. But we’ve been clear about playing our brand of cricket,” Pant said during the toss interview.

Lucknow made one change to their side, bringing in Akash Deep in place of Siddharth.

Playing XIs:

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG):

Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Akash Deep, Avesh Khan

Mumbai Indians (MI):

Will Jacks, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Raj Angad Bawa, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar, Vignesh Puthur, Trent Boult

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