'If you are a batsman-captain, your first role is to make runs with the bat' - Saba Karim on how Rohit Sharma needs to push his batting in IPL

The remainder of the IPL 2021 will kick start from September 19 in the UAE. Mumbai Indians will take on their arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings in the opening fixture. However ahead of the start of the second leg of the IPL, former India cricketer Saba Karim has stated that Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma needs to perform better with the bat in the tournament.

Rohit Sharma will enter the second half of the IPL 2021 with form by his side. The batter exuded his flair in the Test match series against England by providing flying starts to India and also registered his maiden overseas Test century. In the first half of the IPL, Sharma has chipped in 250 runs from seven matches at an average of 35.71.

Saba Karim expressed his concerns over Sharma’s batting performances in the IPL. He feels that the Mumbai Indians skipper is not being able to replicate his international form in the IPL.

“There’s a need for improvement in his batting. He’s the captain and the Mumbai Indians are winning trophies under him, that’s a different thing. They have a lot of match-winners so his performances don’t get much attention. His most important role in the team is as a batsman. This is a peculiar case. Every time he goes to the IPL he’s in brilliant form in international cricket but fails to convert it during the tournament,” Karim said in an interview on YouTube channel Khelneeti.

I sometimes feel that a player gets consumed too much into captaincy: Saba Karim

Rohit Sharma has been one of the most successful captains of the Indian Premier League. He has led his side to five titles and has been an important asset of the Mumbai Indians. Saba Karim however feels that captaincy often affects the performance of a player. Sharma has captained the side for a long and Karim who is also working as a talent scout with Delhi Capitals expressed that the responsibility of leading the side has affected Sharma’s batting.

“I sometimes feel that a player gets consumed too much into captaincy and it’s possible his focus wavers from batting,…If you are a batsman-captain, your first role is to make runs with the bat. Captaincy gets better with the confidence from batting which has happened in Rohit Sharma’s case as well.

“However, when you have been captaining for a long time, the focus, preparation, and temperament you need to have there get disturbed. You tend to think more as a captain on batting and bowling strategies… It’s very important for a captain to have that clarity when he goes out to bat. I expect to see that change in his batting this time, hopefully, it’s not against Delhi Capitals though,” Karim added.