IPL 2026 | ‘Seems to be in a 2.0 avatar’: Ex-India captain hails Rohit Sharma after superb fifty vs KKR

Former Indian captain Anil Kumble praised Rohit Sharma for his brilliant half-century against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026 Match 2 at the Wankhede Stadium, calling it the return of a more commanding “2.0” version of the Mumbai Indians star. Kumble highlighted how effortlessly Rohit handled quality bowlers, noting his sharp timing, improved fitness and all-round strokeplay, describing the innings as a strong statement capable of troubling any team in the tournament. The match also saw Mumbai Indians end a long-standing streak, securing their first opening-game win in 13 seasons with a convincing six-wicket victory over KKR on Sunday (Mar 30).

Speaking on Star Sports, JioStar expert Anil Kumble said Rohit looked back to his best, striking the ball cleanly across the ground much like in his peak years. He highlighted how difficult it is to clear the ropes against bowlers like Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine and Blessing Muzarabani, yet Rohit made it seem effortless.

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"Rohit Sharma seems to have arrived in his 2.0 avatar, and his innings showed he is ready to dominate again. The way he hit the ball all around the ground reminded me of his prime. It is not easy to hit sixes against bowlers like Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine and Blessing Muzarabani, but he made it look easy," Kumble said on Star Sports.

"He has worked a lot on his fitness, and when you come back after a short break, it takes five to seven days to get your timing back and find your rhythm. This was a fantastic innings, very similar to what we have seen at Wankhede, where he takes on the bowlers from the first ball. The six-hitting looked easy, and even though the boundaries were small, those shots were going into the stands. This knock shows that Rohit means business, and this version of him will worry all IPL teams," Kumble added.

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Half-centuries from Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi and a late cameo from Rinku Singh helped KKR post 220 in their 20 overs. In reply, Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma’s majestic fifties powered Mumbai Indians to a dominant six-wicket victory.

With inputs from agencies