Rohit's disappointing IPL 2023 run continues

MUMBAI: Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma continues to disappoint in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with yet another failure on Monday and set an unwanted batting record to his name.

Rohit did so in his side's match against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Wankhede Stadium.

In the match, Rohit disappointed once again as he could score only seven runs off eight balls before he was trapped leg before wicket by spinner Wanindu Hasaranga.

The seven-run knock makes this his fifth successive single-digit score in IPL 2023, registering this unwanted batting record for the first time in his IPL career.

In his previous four innings before this, he had scores of 2,3,0 and 0. His previous worst performance was in IPL 2017, when he was dismissed for 3,2,4 and 0 in his side's first four matches of the season.

This IPL season is shaping up to be his worst as a batter. In 11 matches, he has scored only 191 runs at an average of 17.36 and a strike rate of 124.84. He has registered one half-century in the tournament so far, with the best score of 65. Put to bat first by MI, RCB put on 199/6 in their 20 overs.

After MI took early wickets of Virat Kohli (1) and Anuj Rawat (6), RCB bounced back into the game with a 120-run stand for the third wicket between skipper Faf du Plessis (65 in 41 balls, with five fours and three sixes) and Glenn Maxwell (68 in 33 balls, with eight fours and four sixes).

Late cameos from Dinesh Karthik (30 in 18 balls, four boundaries and a six) and Kedar Jadhav (12* in 10 balls) took RCB to a competitive total. Jason Behrendorff (3/36) was the pick of the bowlers for MI. Cameron Green, Chris Jordan and Kumar Kartikeya took a wicket each.

In chase of 200, Ishan Kishan's power-hitting put MI to a good start but the hosts were reduced to 52/2 in five overs after Kishan (42 in 21 balls, four fours and four sixes) and skipper Rohit Sharma (7) were dismissed by Wanindu Hasanranga.

However, once Suryakumar Yadav and Nehal Wadhera settled, there was no looking back for MI. The duo put on 140 runs for the third wicket. Suryakumar scored 83 off just 35 balls, consisting of seven fours and six sixes. Wadhera scored 52* in 34 balls with four boundaries and three sixes, hitting the winning runs for MI.

MI chased down the total with 21 balls and six wickets in hand. Suryakumar Yadav took home the 'Man of the Match' award for his explosive knock.

With this win, MI has reached the third spot, with six wins and five losses. They have a total of 12 points. RCB has slipped to seventh position, having won five matches and lost six. They have a total of ten points.