Mumbai Indians’ campaign in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) concluded with another disappointing result for their supporters, as the five-time champions suffered a defeat against Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium. During this final group fixture, former Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma registered an unwanted milestone, equalling the historical record for the most ducks in the history of the tournament.
Opening the batting for Mumbai, Sharma faced four deliveries without opening his account before being dismissed for a duck by England fast bowler Jofra Archer, who forced an outside edge to wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel. This dismissal marked the 19th time Sharma has been out for zero in his IPL career, pulling him level with Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell at the top of the tournament’s all-time duck list.
All-Time Leaders for Incomplete Innings
The accumulation of zero scores features several high-profile international and domestic batsmen, primarily driven by long careers or highly aggressive batting roles in the top and lower orders.
The statistical standings of the players with the highest number of ducks in IPL history are structured in the table below:
| Player Name | Represented Franchise Teams | Total IPL Career Ducks |
| Glenn Maxwell | DC, MI, KXIP/PBKS, RCB | 19 |
| Rohit Sharma | DCH, MI | 19 |
| Dinesh Karthik | DC, GL, KKR, KXIP, MI, RCB | 18 |
| Sunil Narine | KKR | 18 |
| Piyush Chawla | CSK, KKR, KXIP, MI | 16 |
| Rashid Khan | GT, SRH | 16 |
Individual Campaign Metrics and Tactical Deployment
Despite the statistical setback in his final appearance, Sharma maintained a respectable individual return during the 2026 tournament, even though his availability was limited by fitness issues.
A hamstring injury forced the veteran opener to sit out five group matches during the season. Following his medical clearance and return to the active squad, the Mumbai Indians management opted to manage his workload carefully, utilizing him primarily as an Impact Player to limit his physical strain on the field.
Across his nine appearances in the 2026 cycle, Sharma scored a total of 283 runs at an average of 35.38. Operating with an aggressive mandate at the top of the order, he finished the campaign with a strike rate of 157.22 and recorded two half-centuries, including a season-high score of 84 runs off 44 balls against Lucknow Super Giants following his injury layoff.
However, Mumbai Indians struggled to find consistent partnerships at the top of the order during his absences, ultimately finishing ninth in the final league table.