LSG vs MI, IPL 2025: Why is Rohit Sharma not playing against Lucknow Super Giants?

Rohit Sharma (Pic: AFP)

Mumbai Indians were on Friday dealt a significant blow after star opener, Rohit Sharma, was unavailable for a crucial encounter against Lucknow Super Giants. The veteran batsman suffered a knee injury during a net session, prompting captain Hardik Pandya and the team management to adopt a cautious approach.

Rohit, who featured as an impact substitute in MI's previous match, did step out to bat. A similar role was anticipated for him in this fixture, but an unfortunate injury in the nets ruled him out of contention.

"Ro was not available. He got hit on the knee and he won't be available tonight," Pandya confirmed during the toss.

The exact nature of Rohit's injury remains unclear, but the MI management is unwilling to take any risks with one of their most valuable assets. In his absence, Will Jacks and Ryan Rickelton are expected to open the innings for MI.

Rohit Sharma's IPL 2025 campaign at a glance

Despite a stellar performance in the Champions Trophy final, Rohit has struggled to find form in IPL 2025. His campaign began on a disappointing note with a duck against Chennai Super Kings, followed by a meager eight-run knock against Gujarat Titans.

His woes continued in MI's first home game against Kolkata Knight Riders, where he managed just 13 runs off 12 deliveries. However, despite his personal struggles, MI secured a comfortable victory in that match.

MI have secured just one victory so far, a home win against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), while suffering two away defeats against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Gujarat Titans (GT). On the other hand, the Lucknow-based franchise has managed to win only one match out of three, and at the moment, they are in seventh position with just two points on the IPL 2025 points table.

"We are gonna bowl first. Looks like a fresh wicket. Not sure how it is going to play. Looks like a decent track. Dew might come in later. Thought better to chase. I think 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. Let's not talk about the surfaces. I think adaptation. Sticking to the right plans and being smart. A lot of runs are being scored. Cricket is situation-based. Rohit was hit on the knee. He is missing out. Jasprit should be back soon," Pandya said after winning the toss.