NEW DELHI: Despite a forgettable outing with the bat, Rohit Sharma gave fans a reason to smile during Mumbai Indians’ clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Wankhede on Monday.
While the game ended in heartbreak for MI, with RCB clinching a 12-run win and breaking their Wankhede jinx, it was Rohit’s light-hearted moment that went viral across social media.
As the ‘Impact Player’ substitution was signaled by the umpire during RCB’s batting, Rohit mimicked the iconic ‘X’ gesture, drawing laughter from fans across social media platforms.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
Entering the field as an impact sub for Vignesh Puthur, Rohit received a raucous ovation from the home crowd, chants of “Rohit, Rohit” echoing around the stadium.
Watch:
However, the joy didn’t last long with the bat.
Chasing a mammoth 222, Rohit looked in good touch early, smashing a six and two crisp boundaries.
But just as it seemed he was settling in, Yash Dayal cleaned him up with a brilliant inswinger for 17, continuing Rohit’s underwhelming IPL 2025 run.
With scores of 0, 8, 13, and now 17, the MI stalwart is still searching for rhythm.
Still, fans found solace in Rohit’s infectious humour.
The match itself was a rollercoaster.
Tilak Varma (56) and Hardik Pandya (42 off 15) led a fiery counterattack, but Krunal Pandya’s final-over heroics denied MI a dramatic win.
Earlier, Kohli and Patidar’s half-centuries powered RCB to 221, a total just beyond Mumbai’s reach.
In a game full of high drama, Rohit Sharma’s comic timing stole a moment for himself.
Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.
