IPL 2021: [Watch] Rohit Sharma bats in a creative net session to tackle the challenging conditions in Chennaiย
Rohit Sharma was seen gearing up for his side's next IPL 2021 game against the Punjab Kings. The Mumbai Indians skipper batted in a net session, where he controlled the desire to play lofted strokes.
The conditions at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai have so far produced low-scoring encounters, with spinners dominating the proceedings. To tackle it, Rohit Sharma practiced risk-free shots in order to be able to rotate the strike.
Mumbai Indians shared a video of his practice session on their Twitter handle. You can watch it here:
Ahead of the batting session, the opener gave an insight into his captaincy philosophy. Matchups have emerged as a key element in T20 cricket, where teams prepare for a certain individual battle between a batsman and a bowler. Rohit Sharma, though, said he sometimes overlooks match-up numbers and goes with his instincts on the field.
"There are match-ups and then there are instincts on the field. Sometimes you may not feel... we have planned for this match-up but at the moment sometimes on this particular pitch I don't feel this match-up is going to work, so instinct sometimes works. It's a mix of both," Sharma said in the video put up by the Mumbai Indians.
Mumbai Indians have had a mixed season so far, winning 2 games out of four while losing the other two. Traditionally MI are slow starters and usually peak at the right time towards the business end of the tournament. Rohit Sharma will be hoping his team rises to the occasion when they come up against the Punjab Kings next.
Rohit Sharma's record vs Punjab Kings
The MI skipper has a decent record against PBKS in the IPL. Rohit Sharma has amassed 669 runs in 24 innings at an average of 33.45. His strike rate of 142.34 against Punjab is his best against any franchise in the IPL.
Punjab Kings are coming into this game on the back of three consecutive losses. The Punjab franchise might still be looking for its first IPL title, but it has a fairly decent record against five-time title winners.
Mumbai lead the head-to-head record marginally at 14-12. Last season, the two teams played a thrilling encounter, with the Punjab Kings prevailing in the end after the game went into the second Super Over.