‘The first game could be my last, who knows?’ – Chris Lynn after Rohit Sharma’s run out in the IPL 2021 opener

After warming the bench for the entire 2020 edition, Chris Lynn made his debut for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). But in the game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, the 31-year-old batsman was involved in a horrible mix-up with his skipper Rohit Sharma that led to the latter’s run out.

Rohit was batting on 19 at a strike rate of 126.67 with a four and a six before getting out in the fourth over. Recalling the moment, the right-handed Lynn, hilariously, said that the game could well be his last after the incident.

I put just a little bit more pressure on myself: Chris Lynn   

“Look, obviously I was a bit nervous, no doubt about it. (It was my) first game for Mumbai and it was the first time I was batting with Rohit as well. I thought there was a run, and then obviously there wasn’t a run. But yeah, if I had been able to run past him and sacrifice my wicket, I definitely would have done that,” Lynn said in the post-match press conference.

“It happens, but yeah, I put just a little bit more pressure on myself. It’s not ideal, running out your captain in the first game. The first game could be my last, who knows? (laughs). But anyhow, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. It would have been nice (if the run-out didn’t happen); he was striking the ball nicely, and we were 10 or 15 runs short in the end. He would have definitely made a difference,” he added.

Lynn didn’t flatter to deceive from the personal viewpoint as he notched 49 runs off 35 balls with four fours and three sixes. He perished to Washington Sundar while trying to go for a big shot. At that point in time, MI’s score was 105 for three in 12.5 overs.

In the end, Rohit’s team managed 159 after Harshal Patel’s five-wicket haul. The score didn’t turn to be enough as the Challengers chased the target of 160 down and won by two wickets. MI’s second game in IPL 2021 is against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 13.