The Arun Jaitley Stadium witnessed a familiar heartbreak for Rohit Sharma and MI fans on Saturday night. The veteran batter, once again, flattered to deceive with a brisk but brief 18 off 12 deliveries, as his horror run in IPL 2025 deepened with yet another sub-20 score. This was his fifth successive failure of the season.
The innings had its sparks. Two classy fours and a lucky top-edged six had fans hoping this would finally be the night he turned things around. But hopes were dashed in the fifth over when Vipraj Nigam, a rising star for Delhi Capitals, trapped him plumb in front with a skiddy delivery that breached his sweep attempt. The LBW was confirmed after a quick review – three reds, and a walk back for Rohit.
It was a moment that perfectly encapsulated Rohit's season so far – a flash of aggression, a hint of form, followed by a soft collapse. With scores of 0, 8, 13, 17, and now 18, the Mumbai Indians opener has managed just 56 runs across five innings — a run that has not just puzzled fans, but deeply disappointed them.
Social media, as always, didn’t hold back as Rohit endured yet another failure in Delhi.
{{/usCountry}}Social media, as always, didn’t hold back as Rohit endured yet another failure in Delhi.
{{/usCountry}}Worryingly for MI, their batting blueprint seems increasingly shaky. Without a firing Rohit at the top, the pressure on the middle order is mounting; the side is currently lingering at the ninth spot in the IPL 2025 table with just a win in five matches. Their only win in the tournament came against Kolkata Knight Riders in Mumbai, where they cruised to an 8-wicket victory after bundling Ajinkya Rahane's side for just 116.
It’s still early in the season, but the tone has been set, and it’s far from reassuring for the five-time champions. As for Rohit Sharma, the questions are getting louder, and the former MI captain will be aiming for a quick turnaround to help bring the franchise's campaign back on track.
DC opted to bowl
Delhi Capitals, the only unbeaten team in the league so far, opted to bowl after Axar Patel called it right at the toss.
The side registered brilliant wins over Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their campaign so far.