Ahead of the IPL 2026 match against Punjab Kings (PBKS), former Chennai Super Kings player Ambati Rayudu has suggested that the Mumbai Indians (MI) should consider promoting Sherfane Rutherford in their batting order. MI, struggling at ninth place with only one win from four matches, faces a crucial game at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 16. Rayudu recommended that if Rohit Sharma is unavailable, Naman Dhir could open alongside Ryan Rickleton, while Suryakumar Yadav could bat at three and Rutherford at four. He emphasized the need for MI's batters to show better intent and not waste deliveries, stating that they should aim to score aggressively from the start. In their last match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), MI fell short despite Rutherford's impressive 71 runs off 31 balls. With Rohit Sharma being MI's top run-scorer this season, the team must adapt their strategy to regain momentum in the tournament.