`Aye hero`: Rohit Sharma’s playful exchange with Shardul Thakur at nets; WATCH

Known for his lively persona, India’s Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma was seen sharing a light-hearted moment with Lucknow Super Giants pacer Shardul Thakur during a joint training session on Saturday, ahead of their crucial IPL 2025 clash at the Wankhede Stadium.

In a video shared by Mumbai Indians’ official social media handle, Rohit was seen playfully teasing Shardul for arriving late to the training session scheduled for April 25. As Shardul walked in, Rohit greeted him with a loud `aye hero`, before jestingly pulling him up for his tardiness. Watch the video below:

When बोरीवली meets पालघर 😂💙#MumbaiIndians #PlayLikeMumbai #TATAIPL #MIvLSG pic.twitter.com/pQQMFplNHl

— Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) April 25, 2025

The camaraderie between the two stems from their days as teammates for the Mumbai Ranji side, and their easy rapport was evident as they shared a few laughs amidst preparations for the high-stakes encounter.

Both players come into the contest in excellent form for their respective franchises. Shardul, who joined LSG as an injury replacement for Mohsin Khan, has been a revelation with the ball, already claiming 14 wickets this season. His timely breakthroughs have been crucial in bolstering LSG’s playoff aspirations.

Meanwhile, Sharma has rediscovered his vintage touch with the bat for Mumbai Indians. The veteran opener has struck back-to-back half-centuries against Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, providing MI with strong starts at the top of the order. His resurgence has been key to MI’s recent upswing in form, raising hopes of a strong finish to the league stage.

As the tournament enters its decisive phase, Sunday`s match between Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants carries immense significance for both sides. With playoff spots hanging in the balance, every win from here on could prove pivotal in the race to the top four.

Both Rohit’s explosive batting and Shardul’s wicket-taking prowess will be in sharp focus as their respective sides aim to strengthen their playoff chances in what promises to be a fiercely contested encounter at the iconic Wankhede Stadium.

MI vs LSG, IPL 2025: Squads

Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Robin Minz (wk), Ryan Rickelton (wk), Shrijith Krishnan (wk), Bevon Jacobs, Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Raj Angad Bawa, Vignesh Puthur, Corbin Bosch, Trent Boult, Karn Sharma, Deepak Chahar, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley, VS Penmetsa, Arjun Tendulkar, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Jasprit Bumrah.

Lucknow Super Giants: Rishabh Pant (c&wk), David Miller, Aiden Markram, Aryan Juyal, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Mitchell Marsh, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmad, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Arshin Kulkarni, Ayush Badoni, Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Akash Singh, Shamar Joseph, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi