Former India cricketer Ravi Shastri has backed out-of-form Mumbai Indians' (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma to do well in a must-win game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and said that fellow Mumbaikar does not need any motivation to come out of his lean patch.
Speaking on Star Sports Studio, Ravi Shastri said, "Rohit doesn't need any motivation. It is Rohit's bad luck that runs are not coming out of his bat and he is getting out after playing two or three balls. But once runs start flowing out of his bat then it will be difficult to stop him. This is a different guy."
MI skipper's this year IPL has not been ideal as he has so far scored only 257 runs in 13 matches with an average of 19.77. He has been able to make just one fifties in the season so far. After witnessing 68 highly entertaining and tightly contested games and several nail-biting finishes, we have finally arrived on the last day of the league stage of IPL 2023, and yet the four finalists haven't been confirmed, such has been the level of competition in the Toughest T20.
The last two games of IPL 2023 league stage are meaningful as the result of these matches will give us the fourth-best team of the tournament. That fourth team will take on Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator. The script of the Race to Playoffs in IPL 2023 couldn't have been better as we got two of three qualifying teams into the top four on the penultimate day.
Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants won their last league games and secured the playoffs berth on Super Saturday. The focus now shifts to Super Sunday — the last doubleheader of the Incredible T20 — where five-time champions Mumbai Indians take on beleaguered Sunrisers Hyderabad while Royal Challengers Bangalore host holders Gujarat Titans at home in their last game of the round-robin phase.
Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh believes if Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians qualify for the playoffs, the five-time champions will be unstoppable and they will go on to lift their sixth trophy in the Toughest T20. The former MI and CSK star is hoping for a grand finale between the two teams.
Speaking on Star Sports' Cricket Live, Harbhajan Singh said, "If MI move forward, it will be unstoppable. After going to the playoffs, MI's chances of winning the trophy will increase significantly. Mumbai have the best batting. If their bowling gets slightly better, then no one is better than MI. Nothing can be better than this if MI and CSK make it to the finals this season."
In the second game of Super Sunday, Royal Challengers Bangalore — who are seated at the fourth position with 14 points, equal to MI, but with a better net run rate — host Gujarat Titans. RCB just need to win the game and qualify for the playoffs for a straight fourth time.
Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif believes as RCB will be in action in the evening, they'll be in an advantageous position because they'll be clear about what needs to be done to qualify for the playoffs.
Speaking on Star Sports' Cricket Live, Md Kaif said, "RCB will play in the evening and hence will have a clear insight on how to build their game. The way Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli batted in their last game, they will look to continue the same form."
