Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra lauded Mumbai Indians’ consistency after they registered a 100-run win against Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium, Jaipur on Thursday. MI posted a par score of 217 runs on the board after their top four delivered for the team.
Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma added 116 runs off just 71 balls with the latter scoring 61 runs and the former adding 53 runs.
On the other hand, Trent Boult and Karn Sharma scalped three wickets and Jasprit Bumrah bagged two scalps. MI have now won six games on the bounce and they also climbed to the top of the standings.
“They have won six consecutive games. This team is not going to stop now. The question is whether they would qualify. They will definitely qualify, but can they finish at No. 1 or No. 2? That is the biggest question. Who will stop them? Maybe RCB at some stage, but they don’t have a league game against each other left,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“It was a totally one-sided match. Mumbai are again batting the way they should. They scored 217 runs and lost only two wickets, and it seemed like they could have scored 25-30 more as they have so much depth in batting,” he observed.
The renowned commentator hailed the opening duo of Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma as the pair has been consistently delivering the goods.
“The opening has started working now. Till now, one was firing and the other was getting out. Both firing together is a tornado. Rohit Sharma was very, very lucky. All of us felt he was out. The ball didn’t fall within the three stumps by a thread. He got a reprieve, and the rest, as they say, is history,” Chopra elaborated.
The former KKR player hailed Suryakumar Yadav’s consistency as he scored 48 runs off 23 balls. This was SKY’s 11th consecutive score of more than 25 runs this season.
“Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya came after that. Suryakumar Yadav has created history. He has posted 11 consecutive 25-plus scores this season. It deserves a thumbs-up with both hands. He has broken Robin Uthappa’s record, who had posted 10 consecutive 25-plus scores in 2014,” he said.
Furthermore, Hardik Pandya scored 48 runs off just 23 balls, and Chopra also hailed the MI captain.
“He is batting at a strike rate of 180. It means he is consistent and has scored lots of runs as well. Quality and quantity are both there. Suryakumar Yadav’s real bhau avatar has returned. He makes the opposing team’s life difficult. Hardik Pandya promoted himself and played a captain’s knock, and the team reached beyond 215,” Chopra observed.
MI will next take on the Gujarat Titans at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Tuesday.
