Jayawardene backs ‘fitter, committed’ Rohit to lead from the top

MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene at the MIG Cricket Club, Bandra, on Tuesday. Pic/Atul Kamble; (right) Rohit Sharma during MI’s training session at Reliance Corporate Park, Ghansoli, on Monday. Pic/MI`s Instagram

Though Mumbai Indians's (MI) five-time IPL-winning captain Rohit Sharma has been playing only the 50-over format since last year's IPL, the franchise outfit's head coach Mahela Jayawardene is not worried at all about the attacking opener's form. In fact, Jayawardene is convinced that the upcoming IPL, starting on March 28, will see a much fitter and very committed version of Rohit.

"He [Rohit] has done a lot of work behind the scenes. He has done a lot of skill work over the last week. He joined us on the very first day of our training camp and looked very good in the nets, a newer version of Rohit, much fitter and very committed. So, [we are] looking forward to him leading us from the top," Jayawardene told reporters when asked how he plans to use Rohit, considering he hasn't played much T20 cricket in recent times.

Jayawardene was speaking on the sidelines of the MI Junior tournament Season Six closing ceremony at the MIG Cricket Club on Tuesday.

Rohit, 38, played his last T20I while leading India to their T20 World Cup triumph, beating South Africa by seven runs in the final at Bridgetown in June 2024. In last year's IPL, he mainly featured as an Impact Player, scoring a total of 418 runs.

Jayawardene, a former Sri Lankan skipper, is also not too concerned about the form of attacking batter Suryakumar Yadav, who scored 242 runs in nine games while leading India to their recent T20 World Cup triumph in Ahmedabad.

"About SKY, I'm not too worried about it [his form]. He's a class operator and will always get there. He contributed when it mattered [for India]. Yes, consistency is something he would want to improve. I'm sure he'll have a good break and join the camp with a smiley face," Jayawardene concluded.

418
No. of runs scored by Rohit Sharma in 15 IPL games last year - the second-most for MI