[Watch] MI skipper Rohit Sharma falls cheaply in the Eliminator against LSG
Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma was dismissed early in the Eliminator against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Chennai on Wednesday, May 24.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, MI got off to a good start as the openers, Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, raced away to 30-0 in 3.1 overs.
After three overs of spin, LSG introduced seamer Naveen-ul-Haq into the attack, and he struck a massive blow against the run of play by picking up the wicket of Rohit Sharma.
In an attempt to optimize the powerplay, Rohit charged down the wicket to hit the ball over cover but failed to get the required elevation and hit it straight to Ayush Badoni. Rohit scored 11 runs off 10 deliveries, with one four and one six before losing his wicket.
Here is a video of Rohit's dismissal:
Rohit Sharma has endured another poor season with the bat, scoring 324 runs at a strike rate of 133.33 in 15 games. The 36-year-old batted well in Mumbai's last two league matches, scoring 37 and 56, but failed to replicate that form in the must-win match.
The Indian skipper has been going through a lean patch over the last few seasons. Rohit has failed to average above 30 for a season since 2017 and has breached the 400-run mark only once in that stretch.
Despite his poor form, Rohit led MI to title runs in 2017, 2019, and 2020 and has been the most successful IPL captain in terms of titles won.
"There have been ups and downs, but we have learnt a lot" - MI skipper Rohit Sharma ahead of the Eliminator against LSG
Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma sounded upbeat ahead of the crunch game against the Lucknow Super Giants for the right to face the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Qualifier 2 on Friday.
Rohit claimed that the challenges that MI faced during the league stage should help them in the playoffs. Speaking at the toss, Rohit said:
"We are going to bat first. Typical Chennai wicket, looks good at the moment, don't know how much wear and tear will happen. Back in Mumbai we want to chase, this ground here with a longer boundary, it's better to put up a score."
"The boys are upbeat about it, we have qualified and we are here. There have been ups and downs, but we have learnt a lot, and learnt what we can do as a team. We are ready for this game."
MI stuttered through the first half of the season, winning only three out of their first seven games. However, the side turned it around spectacularly by winning five of their final seven games to qualify for the playoffs.
The winner of the MI-LSG Eliminator will advance to Qualifier 2 to take on the GT in Ahmedabad on Friday, May 26, while the loser will be eliminated from the playoffs.