Image Source: The Indian Express
The struggles of Mumbai Indians' opener, Rohit Sharma, against left-arm fast bowlers has rekindled conversations from IPL 2025. The seasoned batter and cornerstone of MI over the years is under scrutiny once again this season after consistent early dismissals to left-arm seamers.
Rohit has already been dismissed four times by left-arm pacers in IPL 2025. This is more than all other openers in the league. His average against left-arm seamers now sits at a mere 16.50, exposing a weakness that has quickly become clear for teams looking for early wickets. Rohit has fallen to Khaleel Ahmed in the opener, Yash Dayal against Bengaluru, Arshad Khan versus the Gujarat Titans, and most recently was dismissed by Mustafizur Rahman in the last match versus Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium.
This has not been a new trend for the MI star. In his IPL career, Rohit has been dismissed 33 times by left-arm seamers and possesses an average of 24.18; his lowest average against any bowling type. The left-arm angle and movement from that type of bowler continuously troubles the right-handed batter when the ball swings away from him.
MI's think tank, including coach Mahela Jayawardene, has agreed it is a problem and even mentioned that Rohit identifies a technical flaw and has been putting in the hard work to fix it. However, given the IPL 2025 figures, the challenge still stands.
As the season continues, it will be interesting to see if Rohit Sharma can find a remedy for this long-standing Achilles heel, or if left-arm pacers will continue to plague one of the most renowned openers in IPL history.
Source: The Sporting News IndiaThe struggles of Mumbai Indians' opener, Rohit Sharma, against left-arm fast bowlers has rekindled conversations from IPL 2025. The seasoned batter and cornerstone of MI over the years is under scrutiny once again this season after consistent early dismissals to left-arm seamers.
Rohit has already been dismissed four times by left-arm pacers in IPL 2025. This is more than all other openers in the league. His average against left-arm seamers now sits at a mere 16.50, exposing a weakness that has quickly become clear for teams looking for early wickets. Rohit has fallen to Khaleel Ahmed in the opener, Yash Dayal against Bengaluru, Arshad Khan versus the Gujarat Titans, and most recently was dismissed by Mustafizur Rahman in the last match versus Delhi Capitals at Wankhede Stadium.
This has not been a new trend for the MI star. In his IPL career, Rohit has been dismissed 33 times by left-arm seamers and possesses an average of 24.18; his lowest average against any bowling type. The left-arm angle and movement from that type of bowler continuously troubles the right-handed batter when the ball swings away from him.
MI's think tank, including coach Mahela Jayawardene, has agreed it is a problem and even mentioned that Rohit identifies a technical flaw and has been putting in the hard work to fix it. However, given the IPL 2025 figures, the challenge still stands.
As the season continues, it will be interesting to see if Rohit Sharma can find a remedy for this long-standing Achilles heel, or if left-arm pacers will continue to plague one of the most renowned openers in IPL history.
Source: The Sporting News India
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