'Mumbai Indians should rest Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, push Ishan Kishan down the order': Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar has said that Mumbai Indians have a chance to give some younger players a go considering they now have nothing to lose.
Mumbai Indians should now look at resting some of their key players, including captain Rohit Sharma, and give younger players a chance in their place considering they are out of the race for the playoffs, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has said. MI were the first team to be ruled out of the race for the playoffs this Indian Premier League season and still have two matches left to play. (More IPL News)
“Absolutely, there is nothing to play for and a lot of young careers have taken off when they get an opportunity to play in a non-pressure game. So there is a case for someone like Rohit Sharma and Jaspritn Bumrah to rest, Ishan Kishan to bat down the order. Now they have just got to plan for the future and look at other options,” Manjrekar said on ESPN Cricinfo.
In what has been a rather forgettable season for the five-time champions, a number of their key players like Rohit, Ishan Kishan and Kieron Pollard have failed to perform consistently. While fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah did manage to take an extraordinary 5/10 in a match, he has only taken 11 wickets throughout the season.
Manjrekar said that it might be time for Rohit to drop down the order for Mumbai Indians and see how a younger player would respond to the challenge of opening the innings.
“Yes the time has come. We know that in a different event like the T20 World Cup and Rohit Sharma will still be that dangerous player at the top of the order. In the IPL when you are playing so many games, there isn't the kind of pressure that you get in an international game. But I guess it is time for Rohit Sharma to bat down the order, see how the others respond to that same challenge,” he said.
