Rohit Sharma’s struggles in the IPL continued in the last game of this season too when he scored a painstaking two runs, off 13 balls, against Delhi Capitals at his home ground - the Wankhede Stadium.
He looked so out of touch that he just could not just put bat to ball in the eight balls Khaleel Ahmed bowled to him and was beaten six times. Finally, he was put out of his misery when he handed a simple catch off Anrich Nortje to Shardul Thakur. It summed up his season for the year - where he scored 268 at a strike rate of 120 at an average of 19.
This was the first time in his IPL career that he did not score a fifty. The sad part of this season is that in spite of Sharma opening the innings in all the 14 games, he looked out of sorts and could not capitalise in the powerplay and looked at sea both against pace bowlers as well as the spinners.
His performance did not do any good to the five-time champions Mumbai Indians who have just won three games this season and were at the bottom of the table from the beginning - having lost their first first games in a row.
Mind you, he has been appointed as India's captain in all formats this year and with the T20 World Cup due in Australia in four months’ time in October, the fans must be hoping the ‘Hitman’ finds his form before the mega event.
Both of India’s premier batsmen, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, have struggled in this IPL and it’s ominous for Team India ahead of the World Cup.
- Cricket enthusiast Anis Sajan is the Vice Chairman of Danube Group
