Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians (MI) entered Qualifier 2 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with a splendid 81-run win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Eliminator on Wednesday (May 24) in Chennai. With this win, Mumbai have booked a place in Qualifier 2 and will now face the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) on Friday (May 26).
After guiding the team to the top three of IPL 2023, Rohit earned praise from Little Master Sunil Gavaskar, who stated that Rohit’s captaincy doesn’t get enough credit, unlike Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni.
Under the Captaincy of Rohit, MI have won a record five IPL titles- the most by any franchise in the history of the tournament.
Gavaskar highlighted how Rohit Sharma used Akash Madhwal to dismiss Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran in the same over of LSG’s chase, adding that the change in angle ‘suggested’ by the captain was not spoken in length.
Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar said, “Of course, he is underrated. The man has won five titles for Mumbai Indians. Let me give you an example. (Akash) Madhwal got Ayush Badoni, bowling over the wicket. He then went round the wicket to the left-hander Nicholas Pooran.”
“Not a lot of bowlers necessarily do that because if they get their rhythm going bowling over the wicket, they will stick to over the wicket even it’s a left-hander, trying to leave the left-hander. But he went around the wicket and produced an absolute gem of a delivery and got the man out. If that had been CSK and Dhoni was the captain. Everybody would have said ‘Dhoni plotted Nicholas Pooran’s dismissal. This is what happens to a great extent. There is also a little bit of hype, things sometimes work out.” pointed out by Gavaskar.
Gavaskar also highlighted Rohit’s decision to use Nehal Wadhera as an Impact Player in the first innings when MI could have easily gone for an extra bowler while defending.
“The captaincy situation as well. Remember, Nehal Wadhera was used as an impact player batting first. Teams generally don’t use batters as Impact Player when they are batting first. But Rohit used Nehal when MI were batting first against LSG. So please give him credit for that as well.” the former Indian captain concluded.
Mumbai will now aim to enter their seventh IPL final on Friday evening against Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat. And the winner of the Qualifier 2 will clash with CSK in the Final on Sunday (May 28).
