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Sanjay Manjrekar, former Indian cricketer, voiced concerns about Rohit Sharma’s recent form in IPL 2025.
Speaking on JioHotstar, Manjrekar stated that Sharma, who has been a pivotal figure for Mumbai Indians, is relying too much on his natural talent and instincts rather than pushing himself to his peak performance.
Sharma, the Mumbai Indians captain, has struggled in the first two matches of the ongoing season.
He was dismissed for a duck in the season opener against Chennai Super Kings and managed only 8 runs in the subsequent loss to Gujarat Titans.
Manjrekar highlighted that Sharma is now at a stage in his career where he must train harder and push himself to stay at the top of his game.
Challenges For Mumbai Indians’ Batting
Manjrekar also analyzed the performance of the Mumbai Indians’ batting in the first two matches, expressing his doubts over the lineup’s consistency.
He pointed out that players like Ryan Rickelton, a South African batter, will need time to adjust to Indian pitches.
Very few South African players, except for AB de Villiers and Heinrich Klaasen, have truly excelled in India, making it crucial to give Rickelton time to settle in.
He also discussed the contributions of younger players like Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav, noting that while they have shown promise, the batting order still looks unconvincing at times, particularly in conditions that favor the ball coming onto the bat nicely.
Shubman Gill & Sai Sudharsan Shine For Gujarat Titans
Despite Mumbai’s struggles, the Gujarat Titans’ opening pair, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, gave an impressive performance.
The duo’s partnership allowed Gujarat to set a challenging target of 196/8.
Gill reached the milestone of 1000 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium, while Sudharsan’s 63 off 41 balls was a standout performance.
Manjrekar praised Sudharsan for his exceptional strike rate and all-round ability, noting that he could soon become a key player for Gujarat.
Defensive Strength From Siraj and Krishna
In the defense of 196, Gujarat Titans’ pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna proved their worth by picking up two wickets each, restricting the Mumbai Indians to just 160/6.
Manjrekar praised Krishna’s intelligent use of the slower ball, which has been particularly effective in the current IPL, and Siraj’s accuracy with his in-swinger.
Former India batter Ambati Rayudu also commented on the bowlers’ performances, noting Krishna’s ability to contain runs and his unique slower delivery.
Siraj, with his in-swingers, has become a force to reckon with and was instrumental in the win over Mumbai.
With IPL 2025 still in its early stages, the performances of key players like Rohit Sharma will be closely monitored.
Manjrekar’s concerns about Sharma’s reliance on natural talent and the challenges faced by Mumbai Indians are significant, but the season is still young, and much can change as teams fine-tune their strategies.
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