"Now it's 11 innings and only 1 20+ score" - Aakash Chopra on Rohit Sharma failing again in MI's IPL 2025 loss vs RCB

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that Rohit Sharma endured another failure in the Mumbai Indians' (MI) IPL 2025 loss to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He highlighted that the former MI skipper has played just one substantial knock in his last 11 innings for the franchise.

RCB set MI a 222-run target in Match 20 of IPL 2025 in Mumbai on Monday, April 7. Rohit managed only 17 runs off nine deliveries in the chase as the five-time champions were restricted to 209/9, losing the game by 12 runs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener pointed out that Rohit couldn't end his prolonged lean run in MI's IPL 2025 clash against RCB.

"When it was Mumbai's turn to bat, Rohit Sharma got out again. He was looking alright but got out again. He got bowled to Yash Dayal's ball. Now it's 11 innings and only one 20-plus score," he said (5:10).

The cricketer-turned-commentator praised Tilak Varma for scoring a fighting half-century and questioned why the reason for him being retired out in MI's previous game against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) wasn't disclosed earlier.

"Ryan Rickelton looks dangerous but then he got out. When Suryakumar Yadav got out, Mumbai had a two percent chance of winning. However, Tilak Varma. He was insulted slightly in the last match. Hardik (Pandya) said later that he (Tilak) had an injury in his hand," Chopra observed.

"I am saying why do you let us speculate? You should tell. When you came after the match, you should have said that Tilak had a hand injury, and that's why you retired him out and there was nothing more to it. We people talk when you don't tell anything. However, Tilak Varma batted incredibly well," he added.

Tilak Varma smashed 56 runs off 29 deliveries in MI's IPL 2025 clash against RCB. He added 89 runs for the fifth wicket with Hardik Pandya (42 off 15) in just 5.4 overs after MI had been reduced to 99/4.

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"Fours and sixes, and who was bowling - Josh Hazlewood" - Aakash Chopra lauds Hardik Pandya's knock in MI's IPL 2025 loss vs RCB

Hardik Pandya struck three fours and four sixes during his 42-run knock. [P/C: iplt20.com]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra praised Hardik Pandya for his stunning attack on Josh Hazlewood and for keeping MI in the game in Tilak Varma's company before the duo were dismissed in back-to-back overs.

"Then the way Hardik hit, 20 runs off four balls. Fours and sixes, and who was bowling - Josh Hazlewood. That partnership brought Mumbai back into the game. In fact, it seemed like they might win the game, but run chases change in two balls. First, Tilak Varma got out, and Hardik Pandya got out right after him. In the end, it was so near and yet so far," he said (5:50).

The analyst noted that virtually all RCB bowlers played crucial roles in Monday's game.

"Krunal Pandya picked up four wickets and saved the 19 runs that were required to be saved in the end. Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled well. Suyash Sharma was like Devdutt Padikkal - underrated, but four economical overs," Chopra observed.

Krunal Pandya registered figures of 4/45 in four overs in RCB's IPL 2025 clash against MI. While Josh Hazlewood (2/37) and Yash Dayal (2/46) picked up two wickets apiece, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/48) dismissed Tilak Varma to break his threatening partnership with Hardik Pandya.