Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra hailed Rohit Sharma after Mumbai Indians registered a seven-wicket win against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad in the ongoing IPL 2025 on Wednesday.
While chasing a below-par score of 144 runs for the win, Rohit scored a match-winning knock of 70 runs off just 46 balls with help of eight fours and three sixes. This was Rohit’s second consecutive fifty after he scored a fine knock of 76 runs in the last game against Chennai Super Kings.
“For the first time since 2016, Rohit Sharma has struck half-centuries in two successive games, the last match and this match. He first thrashed Chennai, and after that, it was Hyderabad’s turn this time. Mumbai Cha Raja, finally baja raha hai proper se baaja, which is great news,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
Chopra highlighted that the only way SRH could have defended 143 was by taking three quick wickets, which didn’t happen.
“The runs they (SRH) scored weren’t enough, and the only way to survive was to pick up three early wickets. They got one, Ryan Rickelton’s, but no other wicket apart from that. Rohit Sharma batted extremely well. He played with Will Jacks for some time,” he observed.
The renowned commentator hailed Suryakumar Yadav, who scored an unbeaten knock of 40 runs off 19 balls to add the finishing touches.
“By the time Will Jacks got out, the match was done and dusted. Then Suryakumar Yadav came and did Suryakumar things. So the sun was shining. However, it’s not rising but setting. They won the match with four-and-a-half overs and seven wickets to spare,” Chopra elaborated.
On the other hand, the former KKR player lauded the opening bowling pair of Deepak Chahar and Trent Boult, who reduced SRH to 13-4, bagging two wickets apiece. Boult finished with impressive figures of 4-26 whereas Chahar bagged 2-12 in his four overs.
“Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma got out at the start. A very good field was set. All fielders were slightly in front of the wicket as it was a slowish pitch. Deepak Chahar bowls beautifully. Trent Boult bowls beautifully. Both together broke the back in the powerplay itself. They were 35/5. Where will you go after being 35/5?” he said in the same video.
Chopra highlighted that the Mumbai Indians are a force to reckon with if they get the winning impetus on their side.
“Mumbai have won four consecutive games. Only three teams have won four consecutive games – Gujarat Titans, Delhi Capitals, and now it’s the Mumbai Indians. So you know where this team’s trajectory is going, and they don’t stop when they start moving like this. Then this team becomes extremely strong,” Chopra observed.
Mumbai Indians will next take on Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday.
