Sometimes, small gestures can reflect a man’s personality. On Sunday, when the Mumbai Indians looked vanquished, one person stood unperturbed and tall in the middle—Rohit Sharma. He had just completed a century, but looked dejected—his team still needed 29 runs off three balls against an accurate and wily Chennai Super Kings attack. When the match was over, Rohit did not celebrate his 105 off 63 balls. He walked alone past the customary handshakes to the dressing room. For him, as for many other players, a team win is more important than individual milestones.
However, it’s not just about not celebrating. The way things unfolded days before this Indian Premier League season started, Rohit could have been distraught. Even as he continued to be the India captain in the shortest format, he was replaced by Hardik Pandya as the MI skipper, something that did not go down well with the fans. Hardik has been booed every time he has walked in. He has looked unsure, like in the last over on Sunday when he bowled to M S Dhoni; he gave away 26 runs, 20 of them in four balls to Dhoni. Hardik has been under pressure right from the first match of the season and it has been telling on his form.
On the contrary, Rohit has been a rock for the beleaguered franchise that is walking a tightrope this year. The season has, in fact, been a revelation for the 36-year-old India opener. Like all great players, he is pushing his way back from adversities. His form has not been at its greatest over the last several years. His last IPL century came 12 years ago. Last year, he scored 332 in 16 matches at an average of 20.75 and a strike rate of 132.8.
Compare this to 2024: in six matches, he has already scored 261 at 52.2 while striking at 167.3. This augurs well for India at the next T20 World Cup in June, where he would be the captain. Rohit did not play the shortest format for India from November 2022 until early this year. Though the IPL is a long way from being over, he needed these runs. And for MI, his role in reversing the team’s fortunes would be crucial. Hardik may be under pressure, but he must labour on too.