Rohit Sharma will be available for MI's next encounter: Mahela Jayawardene

Mumbai Indians’ skipper Rohit Sharma missed his side’s opening match of the IPL second leg against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). And now, the Head Coach of the Mumbai franchise, Mahela Jayawardene has stated that the ‘Hitman’ felt that he needed some extra days to be match fit.

Adding that Sharma has been running and doing his batting drills, Jayawardene stated that the Mumbai skipper should be fit to take the field for the Mumbai Indians’ next match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) side that will take place on 23rd September 2021.

Apart from Rohit, even all-rounder Hardik Pandya missed the first match against the CSK side. And, Jayawardene said that Pandya suffered a minor niggle during training, and there is nothing serious about his injury.

“Rohit was batting and doing his running, after coming back from the UK, we probably felt he needed extra few days so he should be fine to play the next game. Hardik was training, had a niggle, so precaution and giving him extra days, but nothing serious,” said Mahela Jayawardene after the match.

Someone should have taken the responsibility and batted throughout the innings for MI: Mahela Jayawardene

Mahela Jayawardene also dwelled upon Mumbai’s defeat in the opening contest of the IPL second leg against the CSK side. Adding that the pitch was not doing much, the Mumbai Head Coach said that someone from the Mumbai camp should have batted right through the innings. Jayawardene concluded by stating that Ruturaj Gaikwad did exactly that for Chennai, and that proved to be the difference between the two sides in the end.

“Well, I think the pitch was not doing much, to be honest, in the second innings, the wicket was pretty good. The odd one sat up a little bit. I agree we probably gave a couple of soft dismissals, we probably needed someone to take responsibility and bat through the innings which we did not do. That was the difference with CSK with Ruturaj Gaikwad doing that for them,” concluded Jayawardene.