With 'Bumrah Comment', Rohit Sharma's Subtle Warning To Mumbai Indians Bowlers

Mumbai Indians once again lost the opening match of an Indian Premier League (IPL) season, suffering an 8-wicket defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday. The loss highlighted several issues in the MI team that the team needs to iron out if they are to challenge for the title this campaign. Rohit Sharma, in the post-match presentation ceremony, sent a subtle warning to his bowling unit while admitting that he is now 'used to' playing without Jasprit Bumrah.

Mumbai were of no match to the Bengaluru franchise, as Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli annihilated their bowlers, hitting them all across the park to complete the run-chase of 172 runs in 16.2 overs.

Reflecting on the team's loss, Rohit said: "Didn't have a great start with the bat in the first six overs. But, it was a really good effort from Tilak and a few other batters. But, we didn't execute well with the ball. It was a good pitch to bat on. (On Tilak Verma) He is a positive person, quite talented as well. Some of the shots he played, showed a lot of courage. Hats off to Tilak to get us to a competitive total. It was a good pitch to bat on. We didn't set any target but we didn't even bat to half of our potential and we got to 170. Probably 30-40 runs more would have been ideal."

While Bumrah is set to miss the entire campaign, Rohit has urged his bowlers to step up and fulfill the talent and potential they have.

"From the last six to eight months I am used to playing without Jasprit Bumrah. Of course, this is a different setup but someone needs to put their hand up and step up. We can't keep dwelling on it. Injuries are not in our control, we can't do much about it. The other guys in the setup are quite talented as well. We need to give them that support. Just the first game of the season, there's a lot to look forward to," he said.

The match saw Jofra Archer making a highly-anticipated debut for Mumbai Indians but it was a forgettable outing for the England pacer who conceded 33 runs in 4 overs without claiming a single wicket.

Topics mentioned in this article

Royal Challengers Bangalore Mumbai Indians Rohit Sharma Jasprit Bumrah IPL 2023 Cricket