Happy Birthday, Rohit Sharma! Today, the former Indian captain and Mumbai Indians skipper turns 39. As they say, 39 is the new 19—okay, no one really says that—but Rohit Sharma certainly plays like it.
At 39, he’s still smashing bowlers all around the world, whether it’s for India in ODIs or for Mumbai Indians in the IPL. And we’re sure he’ll keep doing it for years to come.
Let’s take a look at his top three IPL innings of this decade (2020–2026).
105* VS Chennai Super Kings- Tata IPL 2024:
A match every CSK and MI fan waits for each year—the El Clásico of the IPL. And of course, the Hitman had to step up, scoring his second IPL century against arch-rivals CSK at the Wankhede Stadium.
In the first innings, a young uncapped wicketkeeper—who we now know as Captain Cool—smashed Hardik Pandya for three sixes in a row in the final over, stealing the spotlight. It felt like no one could take that thunder away from MS Dhoni that night—but there was one man who could: Rohit Sharma.
Chasing 207, MI needed something special, and Rohit delivered just that. No one expected such a magnificent century. He took on CSK’s bowling attack, hitting them all around the ground and reminding everyone that, captain or not, he is still one of India’s most dangerous batters—the true Hitman of cricket.
Wickets kept falling at the other end, but Rohit stood tall, taking on top-quality bowlers like Matheesha Pathirana with confidence. He played as if he had something to prove. In the end, MI fell short, finishing on 186 and losing by 20 runs—but Rohit had already made his statement, scoring more than half of his team’s runs.
That night, Rohit Sharma proved to every doubter that the fire still burns within him.
80 VS Kolkata Knight Riders- Tata IPL 2020:
The Tata IPL 2020 (then known as the Dream11 IPL) was played from September 19 to November 10 and was hosted in the UAE. The opening match featured defending champions Mumbai Indians taking on their arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings in another El Clásico to kick off the season. The reason the IPL began in September instead of its usual March–April window was due to COVID-19.
This makes this knock even more special. After not playing the sport for 6–7 months, returning and starting the season with a loss is never easy. As defending champions, MI needed to make a statement—and Rohit Sharma was the perfect man to do it.
MI were put in to bat by Kolkata Knight Riders, and Rohit Sharma walked out alongside Quinton de Kock. De Kock was dismissed for just a single run, but that didn’t stop the Hitman. Rohit took charge, playing freely and attacking the bowlers, eventually scoring 80 off 54 balls. Alongside Suryakumar Yadav, he built a crucial partnership that helped MI post a strong total of 194.
In response, KKR fell short by 49 runs. This also marked MI’s first-ever win in the UAE, having failed to win a single game there during the 2014 season.
In the post-match presentation, Rohit Sharma acknowledged that returning to cricket after a long break wasn’t easy and that he was simply looking to spend time in the middle. This innings did exactly that—helping him find his rhythm again. A memorable performance from the MI captain, leading his team to a convincing victory.
78 VS Kolkata Knight Riders- Tata IPL 2026:
Well, we all remember this performance, don’t we? It happened just a few weeks ago during the opening weekend of the Tata IPL 2026. After a rather disappointing ODI series against New Zealand in January, questions were raised about the Hitman’s form—and whether he should even be considered for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
And what better stage to respond than the IPL? This league can make or break a player’s future. Rohit Sharma reminded the world who he is, absolutely dismantling KKR’s bowling attack at the Wankhede Stadium and launching sixes into the stands—some of them felt like they were sent into orbit.
Unlike some of his other innings, Rohit raced to his half-century in just 23 balls. That’s why we said it earlier—he may be turning 39, but he’s playing with the fearlessness of a teenager in this league.
However, just a few matches later, against RCB, Rohit suffered an injury and hasn’t played since. We’re all hoping he recovers soon, because the game just feels better when the Hitman is out there, pulling balls into the stands and making it look effortless.
Well, that’s all for today’s post. Here’s wishing Rohit Sharma—one of the greatest captains and one of the finest six-hitters the game has ever seen—a very happy 39th birthday, and many more iconic innings to come.
Until next time!
Thank you.
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