IPL 2017: Rohit Sharma should play as an opener, says Sunil Gavaskar

What’s the story?

Rohit Sharma, the captain of Mumbai Indians, served as the opening batsman for the team till the 9^th edition of the Indian Premier League. But for some reason, he shifted down to the position at No.3 and has left the opening position for the wicket-keeper-batsman, Jos Buttler.

This move has not impressed the veteran Sunil Gavaskar. And According to him, Rohit Sharma is a better player as an opener and he should get back to his position and this will also allow Buttler to play his natural game.

In case you didn’t know...

In the year 2013, Sharma got a shot at opening for the national side and this opportunity completely changed his records. From a player who was always under criticism, he entirely transformed into a reliable opener in all limited-overs format of the game. Since moving up the order, his average almost doubled while his strike rate increased from 79 to 89.

Also, he is arguably the best batsman in the Mumbai Indians’ ranks. Since the year 2011 till date, he has played 109 matches and he has a score of 2986 with an average of 33.93 and a strike rate of 131.13 in the IPL. This statistics showcases his vivid batting skills as an opener.

The heart of the matter

Rohit Sharma’s decision to move down to the No.3 position is not helping Mumbai get the starts they are looking for. Sharma has looked vulnerable against spin when he comes into bat – something that can be amended if he moves up a position. With Buttler equally adept at playing at the first-down position, a swap in the positions might help the team get the best out of both of them.

What’s next?

The team management of Mumbai Indians is expected to make some changes in the batting line-up and what that is will certainly be interesting. The Mumbai Indians play the Gujarat Lions on 16^th of April at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Related: IPL 2017 MI vs GL: Mumbai Indians (MI) Today's probable playing 11 against Gujarat Lions (GL)

Author’s take

The decision to play at No.3 was probably not one of the best conclusions he has made for the team and for himself. When his natural game lies at playing as an opener, this was an unnecessary shift. Also, allowing a middle-order batsman to play as an opener is a risky move which so far has not bore any rewards. Rohit Sharma should get back to what he’s best at.