IPL 2018: Rohit Sharma to bat higher up the order to make more impact

Highest run-getter in this IPL season for defending champions Mumbai Indians, Suryakumar Yadav said his captain Rohit Sharma is likely to bat higher up the order in the coming games. Rohit, coming in at number three, hit a match-winning 56 against Chennai Super Kings in Pune on Saturday, raising hopes of the team’s comeback.

The team management would like to take a cue from their previous encounter and make Rohit Sharma bat at one-down, as he did in the last game or open the innings to give the much needed time for him to settle down at the crease. The Pandya brothers, who have been good in their bowling would like to get a big knock with the bat and can take on the run chase or set the tone for a big total.

Apart from Suryakumar Yadav, who has 274 runs under his belt in seven matches as an opener, most Mumbai batsmen have been inconsistent. Speaking of the decision to push Rohit up the order, Yadav said as quoted by Republic TV, “It is his and team management’s decision to come down the order. Maybe he wants to take more responsibility by playing till the end. But, he has been performing at all numbers – at one-down or two-down. In the last game, he came up and shouldered the responsibility. Obviously, in coming games, we can see more of it.”

Battle of survival for both the teams

Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore will have a fight for survival when they lock horns at Chinnaswamy stadium on Tuesday. It has been an almost identical journey for both teams so far. MI and Kohli-led RCB have managed just two wins in seven matches each, but the visitors are ahead at sixth place due to better net run rate. Whichever team loses tomorrow will find it more difficult to get a shot at a playoff berth.

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