Rohit Gurunath Sharma. A legend, an icon, an adored son of Mumbai and a flagbearer of Mumbai Indians’ success, turns a year older, a year wiser, and it is just another occasion for us to celebrate the legacy of ‘THE HITMAN’. 

From the moment he burst onto the scene as a prodigy, Rohit has not just propelled the Blue and Gold to unprecedented heights but also woven a thread of emotional connection with the Mumbai Indians fans. His journey from a talented player to a guiding light, a mentor, and a trusted colleague to various up-and-coming talents in the Fa-MI-ly is a testament to his growth and transformation. Today, he stands tall, his name etched in the annals of Mumbai Indians’ folklore, a symbol of eternal excellence and a source of immense pride for the Paltan.

In the build-up to celebrating today as ‘HITMAN’ day, we jog our memories and briefly discuss Rohit Sharma's best moments in his 14 seasons in the MI Blue and Gold.

April 10, 2011: The ‘Hitman’ checks in

On April 10, 2011, a significant chapter in the history of Mumbai Indians was written. It was the inaugural game of the IPL 2010 campaign, and the team was playing away. The match was a testament to the team's resilience, with Lasith Malinga’s 5/13 dismantling the batting unit of Delhi Capitals (then Daredevils) to set MI a 96-run target. However, when Mumbai lost two early wickets inside seven overs, the hearts of the Paltan skipped a beat.

It was the moment they had all been eagerly anticipating: the debut of Rohit Sharma in the Blue and Gold. After a bit of adjustment, Ro-HIT smashed his initial couple of boundary fours in the third over he played. He would remain unbeaten on 27 off 30 balls - alongside Sachin Tendulkar (46*). The result? It was a comfortable win for MI by eight wickets, marking the commencement of a glorious journey for Rohit Sharma in the IPL and the beginning of his immense contributions to the team's success.

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April 9, 2012: Rohit Sharma, the finisher

While Rohit is known for his dynamic opening, let's take a moment to remember when he batted in the middle order, assumed the role of ‘THE FINISHER’ and earned his first ‘Player of the Match’ award for MI. In a thrilling match with his former employers, Deccan Chargers, the Hitman came to bat at number 3 and propelled Mumbai from 7/1 to 142/5 with four fours and five sixes in his unbeaten 73 off 50 balls. This marked a significant shift in his role, showcasing his adaptability and versatility, key attributes of a successful player. From this day onwards, cricket enthusiasts began associating the letter ‘I’ in Rohit with Intent, Impact, and Icon.

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May 26, 2013: Rohit Sharma, MI’s first IPL-winning captain

2013 was a transformative year for Rohit. He assumed the captaincy of MI after six games, and emerged as the top scorer for the team in the IPL campaign (538 runs). His leadership prowess came to the fore when he orchestrated Mumbai's triumph over Chennai Super Kings, securing Mumbai Indians’ FIRST IPL TITLE. And on May 26, 2013, Kieron Pollard played the hero (60* off 32 balls; 1/34) for Rohit to etch his first step of immortality in IPL history in a never-seen-before manner. This victory not only heralded a new era for Mumbai Indians but also underscored the leadership qualities of the Hitman.

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May 19, 2014: A blistering knock in a must-win game? Dial HITMAN

With a one-shot opportunity to keep their title defence alive, Mumbai Indians took on Rajasthan Royals in a must-win game that guaranteed a spot in the Eliminator to the winner. MI batted first and reached 122/2 in 15 overs, riding on the Michael Hussey-Lendl Simmons opening partnership. Then came in Rohit Sharma, and he went on a riot with three fours and four sixes in a 19-ball cameo for 40 runs. His blistering knock was instrumental in setting a challenging target for the opposition. And then, when it came to defending 178, Rohit’s decision to work with spin bore fruit as Harbhajan Singh (2/13), Shreyas Gopal (2/25) and Pragyan Ojha (2/30) frustrated RR’s batters and managed to confine them to a score of 153/8 in 20 overs.

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May 24, 2015: Leading from the front with the bat

Like in 2013, Rohit Sharma scripted a memorable chapter for MI in IPL history - from being written off to becoming champions. And more so, he did it against our biggest rivals - CSK. His half-century (50 off 26 balls) painted smiles, excitement and belief on the faces of the Paltan at the Eden Gardens. With support from Lendl Simmons (45-ball 68), the duo set the stage for Mumbai to post 202/5 in the 2015 IPL final - the only instance when MI have scored 200 in a championship final game. What happened next? CSK faltered in the chase, and the Mumbai Indians - and the Hitman - had the last laugh. His resilience and determination in the face of adversity were truly commendable.

April 13, 2016: Hitman vs Dre Russ - HITMAN wins

Rohit Sharma’s love affair with Kolkata Knight Riders is certainly a fabled one, considering that, as of today, he has nearly 1,000 IPL runs as an MI batter (924 runs in 26 matches). In this 2016 matchup at the Eden Gardens, the Hitman was the mainstay of the 188-run chase with his unbeaten 84 from 54 balls. This innings also made him make merry against Andre Russell in the 19th over. After hitting the West Indian for a boundary off the first ball (18.1 overs), he returned to plunder three consecutive fours (18.4, 18.5, 18.6 overs) to bring the equation down from 18 runs needed in 12 balls to one run required in six balls. #JustHitmanThings.

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May 1, 2017: ‘Never say die!’ - Rohit Sharma

It went down to the wire. The pitch was tricky. But what stood out? Our man’s unrelenting commitment to win the game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Batting at number four, RO-hit squeezed out runs from the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal, Aniket Choudhary, Adam Milne, and Shane Watson en route to his 56 not out (six fours, one six; strike rate — 151.35) to take MI to victory with one ball to spare.

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April 17, 2018: Rohit’s 94 helps MI to first win of the season

The team was on a three-game losing streak, and just when MI were desperate to get the campaign on track, enter Rohit Sharma and a match-winning 94 off 52 balls against RCB. It was just another scenic display where the Hitman made a slow start, which then got amplified into a match-winning tempo. And, his hammering of Corey Anderson - 39 off 19 balls - proved to be the highlight of his innings at the Wankhede Stadium and in front of thousands of Paltan. His effort pushed MI to notch 213/6 in 20 overs, which they then defended by a 46-run triumph.

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May 5, 2019: A half-century, a win, a top-of-the-table and an entry into the Playoffs!

At that point in the 2019 season, the nine-wicket win against KKR mattered the most, as we finished on top of the points table and set up a critical El Clasico date with CSK at Chepauk for the Qualifier 1 meeting. After the Pandya brothers, Hardik (2/20) and Krunal (0/14), and Lasith Malinga (3/35) ripped into the Kolkata batting setup, Rohit led the 134-run chase and rounded up with finesse and ease via an unbeaten 55 alongside Aapla Dada Surya (46* off 27 balls).

November 10, 2020: Record knock, record win - a HITMAN special

The date - November 10, 2020 - is something the Paltan will never forget, as it was when Mumbai Indians became the first franchise to win five IPL titles. And Rohit’s knock of 68 earned a special piece of trivia, as it became the highest score in an IPL final by an Indian captain. RO smashed five fours and four sixes in his confident innings that set the foundation for the 157-run target to get easily chased down inside 18.4 overs.

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October 8, 2021: A dominant win but short of making it to the playoffs

It was the final league game of the season, and Mumbai Indians were given an unprecedented target - register a win against SRH by 171 runs to qualify for the playoffs. Rohit Sharma and his boys adopted a super-aggressive approach, and smashed a then-record first-innings total of 235/9 thanks to Ishan Kishan (84 off 32) and Suryakumar Yadav (82 off 40). It was this never-say-die spirit, something that he’d ingrained in the Mumbai Indians, that came out. Although the 171-run margin couldn’t be achieved, it was enough evidence of the fight that MI had become synonymous with.

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September 23, 2022: The first batter with 1000+ runs against an IPL opponent

While batting on 18 runs, Rohit ‘Hitman’ Sharma added another page to his record-breaking diary of records by crossing 1000 IPL runs against Kolkata Knight Riders - the first-ever in history to do so against one opponent. Just another day of records being pocketed.

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April 8, 2023: Meet Hitman, the first MI player to 5000 runs in T20 cricket

MI lost the El Clasico to CSK in their 2023 clash at the Wankhede Stadium, but the Paltan had one good reason to return home with a blissful memory. The Blue and Gold fans were present to witness Rohit Sharma become the first Mumbai Indians player to amass 5000 runs in T20 cricket for our team. In doing so, Rohit joined the elite club that featured Virat Kohli (RCB) and Suresh Raina (CSK) as the only batters with over 5000 T20 runs for one team.

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March 27, 2024: A 200th IPL appearance in the Blue and Gold

In his 13th year with the Mumbai Indians, RO stepped onto the field at Hyderabad with a noteworthy milestone, becoming the first player in the franchise’s history to play 200 matches in the Indian Premier League - justifying his longevity, his experience and his commitment to make Mumbai Indians the best team out there in the competition. And he graced the occasion with a typically aggressive 12-ball 26.

30th April is a special date in our history. And as we come to that in 2024, let’s get the party started, shall we?