‘Trying to do a lot of things’ – Virender Sehwag’s damning verdict of Rohit Sharma’s batting in IPL 2023

Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Rohit Sharma has faced criticism for his inconsistent performance in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite showing glimpses of a comeback in a recent match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rohit was dismissed cheaply once again in the game against LSG. While attempting to clear the cover, he mistimed the shot and handed an easy catch to Ayush Badoni after scoring just 11 runs off 10 balls.

Former India opener Virender Sehwag expressed his disappointment with Rohit’s batting and suggested that the Mumbai Indians captain was being overly aggressive. Sehwag advised Rohit to exercise patience and capitalize on loose deliveries rather than forcefully trying to hit boundaries off good deliveries. He emphasized the importance of waiting for the right opportunities and being rewarded for it.

“I’m not happy with his batting. He’s trying to do a lot of things. If you’ve already scored 30 runs in three overs, just why will you try scoring another 20 in the next over itself? If he stands there, he will keep getting loose balls. What he’s doing, is, he’s forcibly trying to hits fours and sixes off good deliveries. He’s stepping out and getting out. If he waits, shows patience, it will reward him,” Sehwag told Cricbuzz.

Sehwag’s dissatisfaction with Rohit’s approach stems from the belief that he should be more selective in his shot-making, especially when batting first. Sehwag acknowledged that if the team is chasing a massive total, the situation may warrant a different strategy. However, when setting a target, Sehwag believes Rohit should give himself time and avoid unnecessary risks.

You need to have patience – Sehwag

Interestingly, on the day Rohit scored 57 runs, he exhibited a more patient approach and refrained from going after the bowlers aggressively. Sehwag cited former Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan’s advice on the importance of patience for both batsmen and bowlers. Sehwag reiterated that Rohit needs to adopt a similar mindset and exercise patience to improve his performance.

“The day he scored 57 runs, he wasn’t going after the bowlers. Muralitharan says one thing, whether you’re a batter or bowler, you need to have patience. So, Rohit needs to show some patience. If you’re chasing 200+ score, that’s a different thing. But you’re batting first, give yourself time. So, I’m not really happy with his batting right now,” he further said.

Moving forward, MI will face the Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2, with both teams looking to bounce back from recent defeats. The Titans suffered a disappointing loss to the Chennai Super Kings in the first qualifier. Notably, the two teams have had evenly contested matches in the ongoing season, sharing the spoils in their previous encounters.