'It's just a matter of time' - Mahela Jayawardene backs Rohit Sharma's batting skills

Mumbai Indians coach Mahela Jayawardene has expressed his confidence in the five-time champions skipper Rohit Sharma, saying that it’s just a “matter of time” before Sharma plays a big knock. To note, the Men in Blue have lost all five matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 and are languishing at bottom of the table.

MI have so far lost to Delhi Capitals (DC), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), and Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their previous match, by a margin of 12 runs. To note, MI skipper has failed to perform in this edition so far. The right-handed batter has managed to score just 108 runs at an average of 21.60 this season.

He is getting some really good starts: Mahela Jayawardene

“If you look at the way he starts, the way he hits the ball, it’s brilliant. He’s timing it, he’s getting some really, really good starts. Yes, he’s disappointed as well, that he’s not being able to convert them,” Jayawardene was quoted by The New Indian Express.

“We’ve seen Rohit batting deep, batting for 14-15 overs and getting those big scores. It’s just a matter of time. He’s a quality player and I am not concerned about the form as such,” he added.

Meanwhile, MI on April 13 (Wednesday) were handed their fifth straight defeat in the tournament. PBKS managed to thump the five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) in a group stage match. Chasing a target of 199 runs, the Men in Blue could manage 186/9 in their 20 overs.

After losing the toss, Punjab posted a mammoth total of 198 runs. Skipper Mayank Agarwal (52 off 32 balls), Shikhar Dhawan (70 off 50 balls), and wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma (30 off 15 balls) helped PBKS to finish on 198/5 in their 20 overs. Senior pacer Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the bowlers for MI, as he gave away only 28 runs and picked a crucial wicket of Livingstone.

In reply, South African batter Dewald Brevis (49 off 25 balls) and Suryakumar Yadav (43 off 30 balls), were prominent scorers for the Men in Blue. However, they fell short of the target by 12 runs. Pacer Odean Smith picked four wickets for his side.