Rohit Sharma has struggled with the bat throughout this season of IPL. The captain of Mumbai Indians (MI) has shown glimpses of his glorious past here or there in some innings. But despite that, he could score 257 runs in 13 matches with a strike of 131 only.
IPL 2015 was the last Rohit batted with a strike rate of over 140+, so the struggle is familiar. He has been facing a rough patch with a bat. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar recently suggested that Rohit should take a break from the sport and focus on the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final. However, former Indian batter-turned-commentator Robin Uthappa has a different opinion on this subject matter.
The member of India’s T20 World Cup 2007 winning squad believes that Rohit’s batting template is not working at the moment. He said Rohit taking some time first and then going after the opposition is what suits him the most and that is what the cricketer should have gone with in the season.
Uthappa, an expert with IPL’s official digital broadcasting partner Jio Cinema, told NDTV :
“I don’t there is much wrong with his form. When he is batting at the crease, he is playing like the Rohit Sharma we all know. I don’t think the template he has chosen is not necessarily working for him. Although I don’t think the template they’ve chosen for the captain of the Indian team of playing uber aggressive cricket. This hasn’t helped Rohit Sharma the batter.” he said.
“I think he has been successful with the tried and tested method where he starts sedately but capitalises on the amount of time he has taken initially. If he comes back to the proper batting, he will perform like the Rohit Sharma we all know. I necessarily don’t think that he needs a break. It’s just a mindset shift.” the cricketer added.
MI will play their last league match on May 21 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Wankhade Stadium, Mumbai. MI needs to win this match if they want to stay relevant in the race of Qualifiers. And for that, the skipper Rohit needs to come at his best.
His form is crucial not only for the franchise but the country itself. In three weeks, India will face the current No. 1 in the ICC Test ranking, Australia, in the upcoming 2nd edition of WTC Final, and his form will be essential for India’s success.
The Team management and fans will hope that this champion player regains his old self in the longest format with the bat and end the drought of ten years for the ICC Trophy.