IPL 2025 | "He’s a damn good player": Jayawardene praises Rohit Sharma

MI opener Rohit Sharma plays one in the air against Chennai Super Kings in Mumbai on Sunday. Pic/Satej Shinde

Mumbai Indians (MI) head coach Mahela Jayawardene insisted that he doesn't need to suggest any improvements to experienced opener and five-time IPL-winning skipper Rohit Sharma. On Sunday, Rohit's unbeaten 76 off just 45 balls helped MI outclass Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by nine wickets at the Wankhede Stadium. It was Rohit's first half-century in IPL-18 and came in his seventh game.

Experienced campaigner

"For a guy with his [Rohit] experience, you don't need to say much. Just keep the communication positive, talk about match-ups, and trust that he knows what to do. It was just a timing thing - he was getting starts, but not quite converting. But once he gets going, like today [Sunday], it changes the momentum of the game and lifts the whole team," Jayawardene said at the post-match press conference on Sunday.

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Mahela Jayawardene

When MI began their IPL-18 campaign against CSK in Chennai on March 23, Rohit had failed to open his account. He scored 8, 13, 17, 18 and 26 in the next five games.

When asked about Rohit's pre-match preparation, former Sri Lanka skipper Jayawardene replied: "Rohit does bat in the nets, but he prepares differently. A couple of times he got good balls, and a couple of times he tried something that didn't come off."

Rohit is known for his intent and ability to attack bowlers right from the start and Jayawardene wants him to continue playing with the same approach.
"He's a damn good player, and we want him to take control. There are others who will bat around him and support that style too. He's been playing with that tempo but at the same time, he reads the situation well.

Cautious against Ashwin

"Like today [Sunday], when Ashwin came on, he took a little time, and didn't try to take the long boundary immediately. That's what experienced players do - they make good decisions," added the coach.