New Delhi, April 15 (IANS) Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri made a special appearance at the Mumbai Indians training session at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. His presence added a lively energy to the session, with several MI players keen to interact with the veteran forward.

Chhetri, one of India’s most celebrated footballers, spent time with players and support staff, engaging in conversations with Mahela Jayawardene, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, and skipper Hardik Pandya, among others, and sharing experiences from his illustrious career.

“I haven’t been to the stadium a lot of times but whenever I have come, it’s an amazing feeling! It’s so good to come and see the sport differently. I wish Mumbai Indians and the fans all the very best for not only this game but throughout the tournament,” Chhetri said in an MI TV video.

A key moment of the visit was when Pandya presented Chhetri with the franchise’s official jersey, marking a symbolic exchange between football and cricket. The players were also seen enjoying light-hearted exchanges with Chhetri.

Meanwhile, MI’s IPL 2026 campaign has had a slow start. The five-time champions have managed just one win from four matches so far, which came against Kolkata Knight Riders in a six-wicket victory. Despite that result, the team has struggled to build consistency and are currently placed near the bottom of the points table in ninth place.

Their most recent outing saw them fall short against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), led by Rajat Patidar. Chasing a challenging total at home, MI put up a fight but eventually went down by 18 runs.

One of the standout performers in that game was Sherfane Rutherford, who played an explosive knock of 71 off just 31 deliveries. His innings, studded with towering sixes, kept MI in the hunt, but the effort ultimately went in vain.

Mumbai Indians will now look to regroup as they prepare for their next fixture against Punjab Kings on Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium, hoping to turn their campaign around in front of their home crowd.

–IANS

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