Shardul Thakur was on the receiving end of some sledging in jest by Rohit Sharma, as the two Mumbai Indians (MI) cricketers faced off in open net practice ahead of the IPL 2026 tournament that begins on March 28.

Rohit Sharma joined the MI camp for pre-tournament training, as MI will begin their IPL 2026 campaign by facing Kolkata Knight Riders on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Rohit, who last played in India’s ODI series against New Zealand in January, is likely to be MI's main opening batsman this season.

The seasoned opener has already begun working out with the team and was spotted batting during a recent practice session. In a video published by the franchise on social media, Rohit was shown comfortably smashing the ball, including a six off Shardul Thakur, followed by a cordial exchange between the two players.

Rohit was heard saying, “Catch it, in the stands, catch it”, all while Shardul Thakur smiled widely.  

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Rohit Sharma had made 418 runs for MI in the IPL 2025 season. On the other hand, Shardul Thakur was traded in by MI from Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the IPL 2026 auction