March 30, 2025: Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar believes that Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Rohit Sharma is currently going through a tough phase in his career. According to Manjrekar, the seasoned Indian opener, who will turn 38 next month, is struggling to maintain the high standards that once defined his game.
Rohit Sharma’s 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has not started well. In MI’s clash with Chennai Super Kings in the highly anticipated ‘El Clasico’, Rohit was dismissed for a four-ball duck by CSK’s quick Khaleel Ahmed. His second outing in the tournament against Gujarat Titans wasn’t any better, as he fell for a mere 8 runs off 4 balls.
Manjrekar, reflecting on Rohit’s form, remarked, “Rohit Sharma is clearly going through a phase. He’s not the Rohit Sharma of, say, three to four years ago. He’s at a stage in his career where he has to push himself every morning — train hard and be at his best — because things are slipping away for him. He’s still relying on his natural talent and instincts.”
Rohit’s struggles have not been confined to the IPL alone. His form in international cricket has also dipped, with a prolonged dry spell affecting his batting. His troubles began in the Test series against Bangladesh in September 2024 and continued through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he managed only a top score of 52, averaging just 10.93 in that phase.
Even during India’s successful campaign in the Champions Trophy, Rohit provided quick starts but failed to convert them into big scores. His best knock came in the final against New Zealand, where he scored 76 runs, helping India secure the title, but this was an exception in an otherwise lean run.
MI’s IPL 2025 campaign has not been off to a bright start either, with two consecutive defeats. Rohit has found a new opening partner in South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton, who is also struggling to make an impact with the bat.
Manjrekar acknowledged that Rickelton may take some time to adapt to the Indian conditions. “Ryan Rickelton, being a South African, will take time to adjust to Indian pitches. Very few South African batters, barring AB de Villiers and Heinrich Klaasen, have truly flourished on Indian pitches. So we’ll have to give him time,” Manjrekar said.
However, while Rickelton adjusts, Manjrekar expressed concerns about MI’s overall batting lineup. Despite the presence of talented players like Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Robin Minz, Manjrekar remains unconvinced about the team’s batting order. “Apart from that, Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav, along with Robin Minz and some of the other players, form the batting lineup. However, to me, it still looks a little unconvincing,” he added.
As the IPL 2025 season progresses, both Rohit Sharma and Mumbai Indians will be hoping for a turnaround, but the challenges are clear as they seek to rediscover their winning form.