Batting great Rohit Sharma marked his return to the Vijay Hazare Trophy after nearly eight years with both authority and charm, powering Mumbai to a commanding win over Sikkim at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Wednesday
Crowd, chants and a viral laugh
Before Rohit unleashed his batting masterclass, a lighter moment during Sikkim’s innings caught the crowd’s imagination. As he patrolled the boundary, chants of “Rohit, Rohit” rang out among nearly 20,000 fans. Amid the noise, a supporter jokingly asked if he would eat vada pav — Mumbai’s iconic snack.
Rohit responded with a smile and a gentle wave, a polite refusal that was quickly clipped, shared and celebrated across social media. Fans viewed the moment in good humour, seeing it as a reflection of Rohit’s deep-rooted Mumbai identity and easy rapport with supporters.
Fitness focus, discipline on display
The moment also came against the backdrop of Rohit’s renewed focus on fitness. Since returning to competitive cricket after a four-month break, the former India captain has shown visible discipline. Earlier this month, he jokingly declined cake during teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal’s birthday celebration, quipping, “Mota ho jaunga main vapas,” highlighting the seriousness behind his light humour.
Rohit is understood to have shed over 10 kilograms ahead of his comeback, training extensively in Mumbai with former teammate and ex-batting coach Abhishek Nayar.
A chase turned into a spectacle
After Mumbai restricted Sikkim to 236 for 7, the crowd quietly hoped the chase would last long enough to watch Rohit bat. He did not disappoint. Rohit smashed a fluent 155 off just 94 balls, adding 141 runs for the opening wicket with Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
Pull shots, fearless sweeps and effortless strokeplay turned the match into a carnival, with chants echoing around the ground. When Rohit finally fell in the 30th over, the result was already beyond doubt.
Mumbai completed the chase in 30.3 overs, beginning their campaign emphatically — and leaving Jaipur with a reminder that Rohit Sharma remains one of cricket’s greatest crowd-pullers.