Rohit Sharma endured a rare and surprising failure as Mumbai’s campaign in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 suffered an early setback against Uttarakhand at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, on Friday. The veteran opener was dismissed for a first-ball duck, leaving fans and teammates stunned.
Facing his very first delivery of the innings, the 38-year-old attempted his trademark pick-up pull shot but failed to time it cleanly. The mistimed stroke resulted in a simple dismissal, handing Devendra Bora the prized wicket and giving Uttarakhand an ideal start after choosing to bowl first.
Expectations were high as Sharma had begun the tournament in sensational form. In Mumbai’s opening match against Sikkim, he produced a commanding 155 off 94 balls, guiding his team to a dominant eight-wicket victory. His presence alone had drawn a large crowd to the Jaipur venue, with many spectators arriving early in anticipation of another memorable innings.
However, the early dismissal brought visible disappointment among fans. Several were seen leaving the stadium shortly after Sharma walked back to the pavilion, having come primarily to watch the former India captain in action.
Despite this setback, Sharma’s overall form in 2025 has been impressive. He was named Player of the Series during India’s ODI tour of Australia, scoring a century and a half-century. He continued his strong run against South Africa, registering two fifties and sharing a century partnership with Virat Kohli in the series opener.
Earlier this year, Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket following the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Since then, he has focused exclusively on limited-overs formats and has delivered consistent performances, addressing concerns about workload and longevity.
It remains unclear whether Sharma will feature in Mumbai’s remaining Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, as the BCCI requires players to participate in at least two rounds of the competition. Should he opt out, his next competitive appearance is expected in India’s three-match ODI series against New Zealand, beginning January 11.
