IPL 2018: The best in at # 3 slot
The 11th edition of IPL is just around the corner and the buzz is increasing by the day. All the teams have some world class batsmen. Most of the teams have their most versatile and adept batsman at no.3. Batsmen coming in at no.3 should be able to play aggressively from ball one if their openers lay a solid platform. At the same time, they should also have the ability to anchor the innings if they lose quick wickets.
Here we will be looking at the best 1 down batsmen:
#3 Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma is one of the best batsmen in the limited over formats. He is one of India's biggest strengths in limited overs cricket. He was retained by the Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL auctions this year for Rs.15 crore. He is the linchpin in the Mumbai Indians batting line-up. While Rohit himself is an explosive opener, he would have to bat at no. 3 given that they have both Evin Lewis and Ishan Kishan who are not only in excellent form but their value comes down the moment when they play at any other position. By batting Rohit at no. 3, Mumbai can have one of the best 1-2-3 combinations in entire IPL while maximizing their opening potential.
His T20 stats are exceptional as he averages 32.39 with the bat and has a strike rate of 133. He scored 173 runs in 5 matches at a strike rate of 136 in the recently concluded Nidahas Trophy.
Rohit Sharma will once again be burdened with the responsibility of holding the batting line-up together. If Mumbai Indians are to defend their trophy, a lot will depend on how the 'Hitman' performs.