"I am slightly worried about Rohit Sharma" - Aakash Chopra on MI opener failing again in IPL 2025 win vs KKR

Former India player Aakash Chopra has expressed concern about Rohit Sharma falling cheaply again in the Mumbai Indians' (MI) IPL 2025 clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He noted that the former MI captain played an indiscreet shot after spending a little time at the crease.

MI bowled KKR out for 116 in Match 12 of IPL 2025 in Mumbai on Monday, March 31. Although Rohit managed only 13 runs off 12 deliveries, the home team achieved the target with eight wickets and 43 deliveries to spare to garner their first points in the tournament.

Reflecting on MI's chase in a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener opined that Rohit's third consecutive failure is a cause for concern.

"I am slightly worried about Rohit Sharma, and you too should be, because it's been three knocks now. One or two knocks - okay, but three knocks - not okay. He even played 12 balls this time, scored 13 runs off 12 balls," he said (7:30).

Chopra added that the veteran opener needs to score runs for MI to harbor hopes of reaching the IPL 2025 playoffs.

"He wasn't in control of the shot he played. The body opened up, the ball hit the bottom of the bat, and he was caught at mid-off. It was (Andre) Russell's first over and the last over of the powerplay. Rohit needs to score runs. How will Mumbai progress if Rohit Sharma doesn't score runs?" he observed.

Rohit Sharma has aggregated 21 runs in three innings in IPL 2025. He was dismissed for a duck in MI's tournament opener against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and scored only eight runs off four deliveries in their second game against the Gujarat Titans (GT).

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"The guy is actually made for Wankhede only" - Aakash Chopra lauds Ryan Rickelton's knock in MI's IPL 2025 win vs KKR

Ryan Rickelton scored an unbeaten 62 off 41 deliveries in MI's IPL 2025 clash against KKR. [P/C: iplt20.com]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra praised Ryan Rickelton for scoring a much-needed half-century in the Mumbai Indians' IPL 2025 win against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

"Ryan Rickelton, his bat needed to talk. The guy is actually made for Wankhede only because the pitch is good. There is a slight South African feeling in this pitch. You can play your strokes properly and smash the bowlers. Him scoring runs was very important for this team," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator expressed disappointment about Harshit Rana's spell for KKR.

"Harshit Rana disappointed me a little. When the ball was moving a lot, why did you have to bowl so many slower ones? He bowled a no-ball and slower ones and unnecessarily got hit for a six off a full toss. So I found that slightly disappointing," Chopra observed.

Rana went wicketless and conceded 28 runs in two overs during MI's chase. He even bowled a no-ball in his first over and delivered a full toss on the resultant free hit, which was smoked for a six by Rohit Sharma.