Rohit Sharma is a question mark in T20 cricket: Sanjay Manjrekar

IThe Mumbai Indians have named Hardik Pandya as their captain for the upcoming 2024 IPL season. This move comes after Hardik's return to the team last month in a trade, marking his comeback after being released ahead of the 2022 mega auction. 

Worries have emerged regarding Mumbai's five-time trophy-winning captain Rohit Sharma and his T20 form in recent IPL seasons. The stalwart has faced challenges in replicating his earlier performances. Despite Rohit's solid batting credentials, his T20 contributions have fallen short, sparking discussions about his approach in the shortest format. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar voiced concerns, pinpointing Suryakumar Yadav as the sole reliable batter in the Mumbai Indians lineup for the 2024 season.

“Ishan Kishan, from couple of seasons before MI paid the big bucks… he is in the same kind of form. Tim David is still trying to fill the shoes of Kieron Pollard. On form, one player that you can maybe depend on, the player who you can expect to come good, is Suryakumar Yadav,” said Manjrekar on Hotstar

He further expressed that Rohit's position in T20 cricket is a bit uncertain despite the batter showing promise with his batting in the recently concluded ICC ODI World Cup 2023.

“Rohit Sharma, for me, as a batter, is a question mark in T20 cricket. has shown promise, the way he played in the fifty -over World Cups. But that's a completely different format, when you know you have fifty overs. They bat in that fashion. Bowlers just bowl differently in 50 overs as well,” he added.

Rohit's absence from the Indian T20I squad since November 2022 has further fueled the discussions about his T20 form. In the interim, Hardik has assumed the leadership role for the Indian team in the shortest format, adding another layer of intrigue to the Mumbai Indians' captaincy decision. All eyes will be on Hardik as he leads the Mumbai Indians into a new era, with the seasoned Rohit Sharma standing by as a guiding force on the field.