With only a day to go before the IPL starts, Rohit Sharma has announced the opening batsmen for the Mumbai Indians. The team, which has won the championship five times, will start their journey on March 27 at Brabourne Stadium in a clash against the Delhi Capitals. Before the start of this 15th edition, captain Rohit had mentioned his willingness to adjust his batting position in the top order to suit the team's strategy.
With just one day ahead of the IPL, Rohit Sharma revealed who will be opening the batting for the Mumbai Indians. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians will begin their IPL campaign against Delhi Capitals on March 27 at Brabourne Stadium. Ahead of the 15th edition, Mumbai Indians captain Rohit had hinted that he is ready to bat any position in the top-order based on the demands of the team.
In the absence of Quinton de Kock, the most stable and effective choice for the opening slots is the pair of Rohit and Ishan Kishan. Rohit subsequently confirmed that he and Ishan will indeed be the ones starting the innings. Ishan, the wicket-keeper, became one of the tournament's most talked-about players after being signed by MI for a staggering INR 15.25 crore. Rohit acknowledged Ishan's previous successes and is hopeful for a repeat performance this season.
Coach Mahela Jayawardena agrees that the pairing of Rohit and Ishan is ideal for aggressive scoring during the initial powerplay overs. In the middle order, the team looks to Kieron Pollard and Suryakumar Yadav as their primary anchors. However, the main worry for MI right now is Suryakumar's injury status and whether he can feature in the first game. Rohit mentioned that Suryakumar is currently making progress in his recovery at the NCA.
The 34-year-old captain admitted he couldn't provide a definitive answer on whether Suryakumar would be ready for the opener. He explained that the franchise is eager to bring him back as soon as the NCA gives the green light. According to Rohit, meticulous planning will be the deciding factor in their success during the league phase.