IPL 2019: Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma looking to open the innings in all matches

Sudhir Gupta 21:44 19/03/2019
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  • MI skipper Rohit Sharma. Image - @mipaltan/Twitter.

    Having shuffled himself around the batting order previously, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma is determined to open the innings in all the matches in the upcoming 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL).

    Rohit has been opening for India in the limited-overs formats for several years now but his batting position with the Mumbai Indians has remained flexible so far.

    In the 2018 edition, Rohit batted at No3 or below in 12 of the 14 innings and could only aggregate a total of 286 runs. With the ICC World Cup immediately following the IPL this year, the right-hander is no mood to experiment anymore.

    “I have in the past batted in the middle order and I’ve opened also in a few games so wherever the team requires me to bat I have to bat to get the right balance,” Rohit said at Mumbai Indians’ media interaction on Tuesday.

    “But this year, I will open the batting for all the games, that is for sure. That (World Cup) is one of the factors but also keeping in mind that this is where I bat, that is my position when I play for India and that is where I have got a lot of success of late.

    “The team does understand that, and as a team also the composition of the players we have right now, we’ve got some experience in the middle order so that allows me to go and bat at the top of the order. This season I’ll try and do that – open in every game possible.”

    Rohit’s dismal form mirrored Mumbai’s poor campaign in the 2018 edition with the franchise failing to qualify for the play-offs. The three-time IPL champions will be looking to add a fourth title this year when they open their campaign against Delhi Capitals on March 24 at Mumbai.

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