"Rohit needs to have a 500-run IPL season if this team needs to turn around" - Aakash Chopra feels MI have a 'lot of problems' in IPL 2022
Former Indian player Aakash Chopra believes that Mumbai Indians (MI) need a standout campaign from Rohit Sharma with the bat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. The five-time champions are struggling at the bottom with four defeats under their belt.
Beginning out as a middle-order player for MI, Sharma gradually made his way up the batting order. He last scored in excess of 500 runs in an IPL season in 2013. It is also to be noted that he has scored below 400 runs and averaged less than 30 in each of his last four campaigns.
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Opining that Rohit Sharma leading from the front with the bat is of the utmost importance for the franchise, Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel:
"It has been eight to ten years since Rohit scored over 500 runs in an IPL season. So, Rohit Sharma needs to have a 500 run plus IPL season if this team needs to turn a corner and get on a winning run. Ishan Kishan's strike rate is taking a dive since the first game, perhaps he is taking too much pressure."
Suggesting a few changes to the batting order, Chopra said:
"Suryakumar has to come at No.3, not Dewald Brewis. The best batter of the team needs to get time, he will make the most of it. Then Tilak Varma and Brewis. "
Their woeful start to the tournament comes on the back of a rather poor outing at the mega auction. None of their recruits have fired so far and the overseas players were benched following their loss against KKR. The decision to field only two overseas players in their subsequent clash against RCB raised a lot of eyebrows.
Stating that the five-time champions are looking ordinary at best with a lot of problems, Chopra said:
"Mumbai Indians are looking pretty ordinary at the moment. Their auction strategy looks flawed. They are playing with two overseas players, the bowling attack is almost negligible. Everyone are thinking what are they trying to achieve. They have a lot of problems, but not a lot of answers."
The five-time champions are the only remaining IPL team with no wins against their name. Rohit Sharma’s side have never lost five consecutive matches in their illustrious history.
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"There is only bowling at the moment, no attack with the MI" - Aakash Chopra
Losing the services of Trent Boult, Rahul Chahar and the Pandya Brothers have put a serious dent in the side's bowling attack. The unavailability of Jofra Archer adds more to their misery.
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Opining that the team should try shaking up their bowling attack with options on the bench, Chopra said:
"Do something about the bowling. It is very flat and thin, and will crumble at the slightest pressure. There is only bowling at the moment, no attack. There is only Bumrah at the moment. Try out Meredith or bring back Mills. Or even Markande at least by dropping Murugan Ashwin for a game. If they do not resolve their bowling issues, then this team will continue to sink."
According to the IPL schedule 2022, MI will face PBKS at the MCA Stadium in Pune later tonight in a bid to secure their first win of the tournament.