One of the most successful players in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Rohit Sharma has slotted into a new role that sees him mostly playing as an Impact Substitute this campaign. Just two editions ago, Rohit was the captain of the franchise before the Mumbai Indians decided to promote Hardik Pandya to the role. Even the vice-captain's role was allotted to Suryakumar Yadav, with Rohit being freed from all leadership roles. In a chat with the broadcasters, Rohit opened up on how his role has evolved over the years.
Mumbai Indians have only won one of their first three games of the season. A difficult start, however, isn't something new for the franchise, which has learned to bounce back over the years. For Rohit, his role might have changed,but his mindset is still the same - to do the best for his team.
"Since I started, things have obviously changed. I used to bat in the middle-order; now, I open the innings. I was the captain; now, I'm not. Some of my teammates from our championship-winning seasons are now in coaching roles. So, roles have changed, a lot has changed, but mindset remains the same. What I want to do for this team has not changed, and that is to go out there and win games and trophies. That is what Mumbai Indians is known for. Over the years, we have won trophies and turned games around from situations no one believed in. That is what MI and Mumbai are all about," Rohit said on JioHotstar.
Rohit also opened up on the new recruits the franchise has roped in for this campaign. As the Hitman looks to know his teammates, even young rookies, the mission remains to bring back the trophy to the Mumbai Indians.
"Guys like Trent Boult, who have been here before, bring a lot of experience and understand MI's culture. Then we have Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand captain, who adds both experience and class. Players like Will Jacks and Reece Topley bring variety, while Ryan Rickelton is an exciting young prospect. Each of these players adds something different to the team, and when you bring that together as a collective unit, it makes a big impact. We also have several young Indian players with great potential, and I am looking forward to playing alongside them. My immediate goal is to win the TATA IPL trophy and bring the glory back to Mumbai Indians."