Rohit Sharma may think his captaincy is assured for the next few months but he will be under scanner in IPL
Given how Rohit Sharma's body flirts with fitness issues, Pandya is there. He is no longer waiting in the wings.
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Rohit Sharma
Past, present, and future. This, in a nutshell, sums up what to expect from the Indian superstars as the robust Indian Premier League (IPL) begins in Ahmedabad on Friday. Sample this, the lung opener between title holders Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium defines how the two leaders will be viewed.
CSK, under MS Dhoni, have seen scaled the heights, as well as plummeted to depths of despair in 2022. For a side that won the IPL four times, they have the experience. Yet, in 2022, Gujarat Titans, marshaled by Hardik Pandya, went on to win the title. To lift the trophy on a maiden appearance was big. The big deal will be to repeat the feat. That’s easier said than done in IPL 2023, where predictions can go haywire.
There have been changes in personnel, and leadership, plus a few more areas for almost all teams. Yet, what will also be of significance from a pure Indian perspective is how the Indians grab the chances. How can one forget, DK — Dinesh Karthik — found his way back into the T20 team because of his IPL exploits.
If there are a few guys who will be under the scanner this time, it will be Hardik Pandya, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, and Shikhar Dhawan. At a time when fans hear of terms like workload management, too much cricket, and so on, how much these guys can preserve themselves and perform will be good to see.
There was a time in Indian cricket when you could say with certainty, the leader’s job is guaranteed. What happened with KL Rahul is fresh in memory. Elevated as vice-captain, non-performance saw him stripped of the deputy leadership role and eventually getting dropped in a Test. He came back for the ODI series against Australia. Barring that one-half ton, he was mediocre. In the IPL 2023, as leader of the Lucknow franchise, KL Rahul and chief mentor/coach in charge — Gautam Gambhir will plot how to do well.
KL Rahul knows he is under pressure. He is vulnerable. As much as he has backing from TV commentators, this dispensation in the BCCI is not going to carry passengers on this side. The big picture is the ICC World Cup this year. To think that Rahul will be a certainty as a wicket-keeper-batter is wrong. This spot is up for grabs and there are many claimants. Rahul knows it very well and has to prove himself.
For the sheer amount of money that Mumbai Indians spend, Rohit Sharma cannot be a mere shining jewel
The man who replaced KL Rahul as a deputy in white ball cricket, Hardik Pandya has been a quiet performer. Coming back from a back injury, he got back slowly into a rhythm. The IPL 2022 was a rebirth of sorts. He then showed he could take on the national leadership role with aplomb. Given how Rohit Sharma’s body flirts with fitness issues, Pandya is there. He is no longer waiting in the wings. It takes little time for Pandya to take over the mantle, which he has shown in T20 internationals as well as in ODIs.
There is chatter, Rohit may have to manage his workload! As a pro, he may be allowed this luxury but just because he won the IPL title five times for Mumbai Indians is a piece of statistical info. Teams want to win, not lose. The Mumbai Indians flop show in 2022 was hard to digest. Rohit may think his captaincy is assured for the next few months. He is under watch, literally. Too many breaks, disappearing from the team, has been castrated by even Sunny Gavaskar. For the sheer amount of money that Mumbai Indians spend, Rohit cannot be a mere shining jewel. After all, ornaments can be replaced!
It will be interesting to see how Pandya handles this IPL. He has done more than enough to be touted as the next white ball captain in both formats — T20- and ODIs. His cool demeanor has won him many fans, including from Pakistan. His leadership in the IPL 2023 will be interesting, given the return of home and away format. This will mean more load on the players.
And what about Shikhar Dhawan, on the wrong side of the 30s? He leads the Punjab franchise and has been part of a few Indian teams, basically, the second string. His rich experience in ODIs is well known. If Dhawan can come out blazing in the IPL, the selectors are not going to keep their eyes closed.
Perhaps, this IPL will decide a lot, vis a vis the ICC World Cup team selection for October/November at home. Both the formats are different, T20 and ODI. Yet, given the indifferent form of SKY — Suryakumar Yadav — against Australia in ODIs, plenty of spots are up for grabs. That is why the IPL 2023 will be so important, for aspiring leaders plus a few others. The next 63-odd days, till the final on June 1, will be watched for reasons other than sheer entertainment!
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