NEW DELHI: Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar feels
Mumbai Indians captain
Rohit Sharma seems a bit ‘preoccupied’ and should take a break. Five-time title holders Mumbai Indians lost to the defending champions Gujarat Titans by 55 runs and once again Rohit failed to perform under pressure.
With the World Test Championship final approaching, Rohit would be keen to regain his form and Gavaskar feels that the best way to do this would be by taking a breather.
Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2023 Highlights: GT beat MI by 55 runs
“I would like to see some change in the batting order [for Mumbai Indians]. Honestly, I would also say that Rohit should maybe also take a break for the time being, and keep himself fit for the World Test Championship [final]. [He can] come back again for the last few matches, but right now, [he should] take a little bit of a breather himself,” Sunil Gavaskar said while talking to Star Sports as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
“He is looking just that little bit preoccupied. Maybe at this stage he is thinking about the WTC [final], I don’t know,” Gavaskar said. “But I do believe that at this stage he needs a little bit of a break, and come back for the last three or four matches so that he is in rhythm for the World Test Championship [final].”
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IPL 2023: Gujarat Titans beat Mumbai Indians
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<p>A batting assault by David Miller and Abhinav Manohar powered defending champions Gujarat Titans to a 55-run demolition of Mumbai Indians on Tuesday. </p>
<p>Miller (46 off 22 balls) and Manohar (21-ball 42) put together 71 runs to steer Gujarat to a mammoth 207/6 in Ahmedabad. </p>
<p>An unbeaten five-ball 20 by Rahul Tewatia helped Gujarat get 94 runs from the final six overs of mayhem. </p>
<p>Gujarat opener Shubman Gill set the tone for his team’s domination with 56 off 34 balls. </p>
<p>Gill departed after his third fifty of the season and Miller and Manohar soon took over to tear into the opposition attack with a flurry of fours and sixes. </p>
<p>Both Miller and Manohar were denied fifties but it was raining sixes by the end of the innings and Tewatia joined in the charge in his team’s highest IPL total. </p>
<p>Arjun Tendulkar had some redemption from his previous match when he was hit for 31 runs in one over as he gave away nine in his two overs and took a wicket. </p>
<p>With their task cut out, Gujarat bowlers kept down five-time champions Mumbai to 152/9 as Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad shared five wickets between them. </p>
<p>Mumbai were never in the chase after skipper Rohit Sharma fell caught and bowled, for two, to his opposite number Hardik Pandya and wickets kept tumbling. </p>
<p>Rashid struck twice with his leg spin in one over and was soon joined in by Noor, an 18-year-old who returned figures of 3/37. </p>
<p>Mumbai’s expensive Australian import Cameron Green made 33 before falling to Noor’s left-arm wrist spin that soon got Tim David for a duck. </p>
<p>Gujarat moved second in the table behind toppers and four-time winners Chennai Super Kings at the midway stage of the T20 tournament. </p>
Mumbai Indians have had a shaky start to their tournament as they have registered four defeats in the IPL 2023 campaign and their bowling in the death overs has been a major cause of concern. At this point, it will take a special effort for MI to seal their place in the IPL playoffs.
“It’s going to be a miracle that’s going to make them qualify [for the IPL playoffs],” Gavaskar said. “The way they are at the moment, yes, they could conceivably finish [at number] four, but they will have to play some extraordinary cricket, both batting as well as bowling.”
MI will be back in action against Rajasthan Royals on Sunday at Wankhede Stadium.
