With just 21 days remaining for India's T20 World Cup campaign, the state of Rohit Sharma's form is causing a stir. The India captain, who is currently in a slump playing for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024, is a far cry from his usual self. Despite a promising start to the season with a century against Chennai Super Kings, Rohit has managed only 349 runs at an average of 29.08, with recent scores that can only be described as lackluster-6, 8, 4, 11, 4 and 19. The atmosphere in the MI dressing room is tense, and Rohit's batting is a shadow of its former glory. With just three weeks remaining, the India skipper is in desperate need of some runs to regain his form and confidence.
The T20 World Cup, starting June 2 in West Indies and the United States of America, is Rohit's ninth T20 World Cup, but threatens to be his worst statistically if things don't improve. Rohit has scored 963 runs from 39 matches at the T20 World Cup but needs to conjure his best if India are to have a chance at ending their ICC trophy deadlock. Only a handful of individuals are confident about Rohit rediscovering his form in time for the World Cup, with Sourav Ganguly, the man who convinced Rohit to take up India's captaincy after Virat Kohli, being one of them.
"India is a very good team. Rohit will play well in the World Cup. He plays well in big tournaments. At the big stage, he will be fine," Ganguly said at Pravin Amre's book launch in the capital on Tuesday.
The first four T20 World Cups were average for Rohit, with tallies of 88, 131, 84 and 82 respectively. Once promoted as opener, Rohit scored 200 runs in the 2014 World T20, where India finished runner-up. Two years later, Rohit endured another horror T20 WC campaign at home as India lost to West Indies in the semifinal. In 2021 and 2022, Rohit scored 174 and 116 but was still far from his free-flowing best. With one final shot at World Cup glory, Rohit and the entire Indian cricket community would be hoping for their skipper to rediscover his mojo.
Pant's absence made a difference: Ganguly on DC captain's match ban
{{/usCountry}}The first four T20 World Cups were average for Rohit, with tallies of 88, 131, 84 and 82 respectively. Once promoted as opener, Rohit scored 200 runs in the 2014 World T20, where India finished runner-up. Two years later, Rohit endured another horror T20 WC campaign at home as India lost to West Indies in the semifinal. In 2021 and 2022, Rohit scored 174 and 116 but was still far from his free-flowing best. With one final shot at World Cup glory, Rohit and the entire Indian cricket community would be hoping for their skipper to rediscover his mojo.
Pant's absence made a difference: Ganguly on DC captain's match ban
{{/usCountry}}Moving on to Delhi Capitals, Ganguly rued the absence of Rishabh Pant from DC's game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday. The Capitals captain was handed a one-match suspension, and his absence was felt as standing captain Axar Patel didn't look tactically as sound. Pant, however, is back for the Capitals' last and must-win game against Lucknow Super Giants at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday as the team looks to stay alive in the race to the IPL 2024 Playoffs.
"Yesterday, yes (if DC lost because of Pant's absence), Rishabh makes a big difference to our batting," added Ganguly, DC's director of cricket.
With 12 points from 13 matches, DC are currently placed sixth on the points table. A defeat tonight to LSG will pretty much see them kissing goodbye to their trophy aspirations.