Mumbai Indians legend Rohit Sharma registered his 8th Indian Premier League (IPL) hundred, albeit in a losing cause as his team came up against the Chennai Super Kings on Sunday. Rohit scored a 61-ball century as MI looked to chase down the target of 207 runs. Rohit was the lone warrior for the Mumbai franchise as Chennai emerged triumphant by 20 runs. It was in the final over of the match that the Hitman reached his hundred. After ending the game unbeaten on 105, Rohit began an emotional and lonely walk back to the dugout that summed up his mood.
Rohit, since being stripped of the captaincy responsibility at the Mumbai Indians, hasn't looked like his own self. He isn't as cheerful on the field while his reactions in the team's dressing room have also had fans wondering.
After MI lost the match against CSK, suffering their 4th defeat in 6 matches, Rohit's lonely walk summed up his current situation at the franchise.
Rohit's hundred wasn't enough to undo the damage Chennai's MS Dhoni, courtesy of his late blitz, and Matheesha Pathirana's bowling had done.
MI skipper Hardik Pandya, after the match, admitted that the target was gettable but his team just couldn't put in the effort with the bat that was required.
"It (target) was definitely gettable, but they bowled pretty well. Pathirana was the difference. They were smart with the plans and their approach. They got the hang of it, there's a man behind the stumps (Dhoni) who tells them what's working, that helps. It (pitch) was holding up a bit and getting difficult. It was about batting well and keeping the intent. We were going quite well (in the run chase) till Pathirana came into the attack and took those two wickets.
"It was about what is best at that time, we could have done something different. I like to play percentage cricket, it would have been difficult for him (Dube) against seamers rather than spin. We are on the road for the next four games, need to play good cricket, need to keep the intensity high," he said after the game.