Rohit Sharma should take a break from the IPL, says Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar feels Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma should take a break from the hectic Indian Premier League schedule and come back refreshed. The former India batter said Rohit should focus on returning for the later stages of the season and the subsequent World Test Championship final.

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“I would like to see some change in the batting order [for Mumbai Indians],” Gavaskar said on Star Sports after Gujarat Titans beat Mumbai Indians by 55 runs.

“Honestly, I would also say that Rohit should maybe also take a break for the time being, and keep himself fit for the World Test Championship [final]. [He can] come back again for the last few matches, but right now, [he should] take a little bit of a breather himself.”

Rohit was dismissed for just two runs off eight balls against GT on Tuesday. In seven matches this season, Rohit has scored 181 runs at an average of 25.86 and strike rate of 135.07, with a best of 65 runs. Rohit has started well but been unable to convert knocks into big scores: four times he’s been dismissed between 20 and 45 runs.

The team isn’t faring much better either. MI started the season with two defeats but brought themselves back in the IPL Playoff places with three straight wins. However, consecutive defeats have landed them in seventh spot.

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Gavaskar questioned if Rohit was focused and preoccupied more with the WTC final against Australia. IPL concludes on 28 May with the World Test Championship final scheduled to start on 7 June at The Oval. The Test Championship final is of prime importance to India considering they had lost the last one – to New Zealand.

“He is looking just that little bit preoccupied. Maybe at this stage he is thinking about the WTC [final], I don’t know,” Gavaskar said. “But I do believe that at this stage he needs a little bit of a break, and come back for the last three or four matches so that he is in rhythm for the World Test Championship [final].”

MI’s next match is against the Rajasthan Royals at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. It is better than their last place finish last season but quite clearly they’re not achieving the standards set in the past.

“It’s going to be a miracle that’s going to make them qualify [for the IPL playoffs],” Gavaskar said. “The way they are at the moment, yes, they could conceivably finish [at number] four, but they will have to play some extraordinary cricket, both batting as well as bowling.”

Rohit has had a busy season already without much break. The India captain played six consecutive ODIs against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, with four Tests against Australia two weeks later. Just after that, he played the second and third ODIs against the Aussies.

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