Less than a month after his match-winning 76 in the ICC Champions Trophy final against New Zealand, Rohit Sharma finds himself under scrutiny following two disappointing outings in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
The veteran Mumbai Indians (MI) opener was dismissed for a four-ball duck in the season opener against Chennai Super Kings. In the next match against Gujarat Titans, he lasted just six deliveries before being bowled by Mohammed Siraj after hitting two boundaries.
MI, chasing 197, lost Rohit with just 8 runs on the board and ultimately suffered a 36-run defeat, marking their second consecutive loss this season.
Sehwag, Tiwary Criticize Rohit’s T20 Performance
Former cricketers Virender Sehwag and Manoj Tiwary did not hold back in their assessment of Rohit’s form, questioning his ability to make a significant impact in T20 cricket after retiring from the format at the international level.
Manoj Tiwary emphasized that scoring just 400 runs in a season is not enough for a player of Rohit’s stature and urged him to aim for 600-700 runs this year.
“Look, I’m telling you, I don’t want to be tough, but I must be. For some players, you have to be. Look, it’s high time Rohit Sharma got back among the runs. The ability of a player like Rohit Sharma is not 400. Last season, he scored 400, he hit a century, that’s fine. But where is the 800-900 season? Rohit is just not able to have these types of seasons. Why does Virat Kohli always score? You tell me. It’s equally good. It’s equally good, but there should be a season where Rohit scores 600-700,” Tiwary said on Cricbuzz.
Sehwag Questions Rohit’s IPL Legacy
Sehwag, a legendary opener himself, pointed out that Rohit has never been a high scorer in any IPL season despite being part of the tournament since its inception in 2008.
“What Manoj Tiwary said about Rohit Sharma, where is that season? Isn’t it too late for this type of season to come (laughs)? We are also his fans, but we are just asking where the season of 600-700 runs is. When has Rohit Sharma done that? It has been 18 years, when it has not happened in 18 years, how can you hope for this to happen now when he is at the last part of his career?” Sehwag remarked.
Crucial Home Game for Rohit and MI
Rohit Sharma will have an opportunity to turn things around when Mumbai Indians play their first home game of the season against Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday. With home support at Wankhede Stadium, the veteran batter will be eager to make a strong statement with the bat.
