IPL 2026 | Jayawardene eager to see Rohit’s ‘newer version’ in action

Rohit Sharma may not have featured in T20 cricket for nearly a year, but as he gears up for another Indian Premier League season, Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene is expecting a “newer version” of the veteran opener.

“He (Rohit) has done a lot of work behind the scenes. He had a lot of skill work done in the last week. He joined us on the first day of our training camp. He looked very good in the nets. This is a newer version of Rohit as well —much fitter and very committed. So, I’m looking forward to him leading us from the top,” Jayawardene said on the sidelines of the final of the MI Junior on Tuesday.

Rohit, who retired from T20Is in 2024 after leading India to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title, remains a key figure for MI. In IPL 2025, he scored 418 runs in 15 matches.

Meanwhile, the head coach isn’t concerned about India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav’s form. Despite the team’s success, Suryakumar endured a relatively quiet campaign, scoring 242 runs in the global showpiece.

“SKY is not worried too much about his form. He’s a class operator,” Jayawardene said.

“He’s always going to get there. He contributed when it mattered. Yes, consistency is something that he would want to improve. But leading the team the way he led the team [was incredible]. There were a couple of tough decisions they had to make during the season and in the World Cup, which SKY did. Hats off to him. I’m sure he’ll have a good break and join the camp with a smiling face,” he said.

While interacting with the youngsters after the final, Jayawardene said: “This is something we thrive on, scouting young boys and girls. This year, too, we have identified some really good talent”.