"Things need to change" - Aakash Chopra on Rohit Sharma failing again in MI's IPL 2025 win vs DC

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Rohit Sharma's consistent below-par performances have become a 'slightly serious' issue for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2025. He pointed out that the five-time champions might have to reconsider their batting order as Naman Dhir, one of their most in-form players, is getting very deliveries to face.

Rohit scored 18 runs off 12 deliveries as MI set the Delhi Capitals (DC) a 206-run target in Match 29 of IPL 2025 in Delhi on Sunday, April 13. Hardik Pandya and company then restricted the home team to 193 to register a 12-run win.

Reflecting on MI's batting in their IPL 2025 clash against DC, Chopra reckoned that the visitors didn't post a total they should have, with Rohit's lack of runs becoming a slight concern.

"Although Mumbai won this match, the truth is that they were 25 runs short. You were 59/1 after six overs and then kept going at 10 runs per over and didn't get all out till the end. Will Jacks came to play one ball. It means you have not maximized the 20 overs. Everyone batted well, but I think they fell short," he said (3:40) in a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra'.

"If you have scored 100 in 10 overs, reach close to 225 or 250 if you have so much might. I think Rohit not scoring runs has become a slightly serious issue. Mumbai will have to think about that. Naman Dhir, who is probably batting the best in this team, got very few balls. It won't work out if Rohit doesn't score runs. Things need to change. I think they underachieved," Chopra added.

Aakash Chopra pointed out that the Mumbai Indians cannot play Naman Dhir up the order if Rohit Sharma is opening with Ryan Rickelton as Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya shouldn't bat any lower than their current positions. Dhir smashed an unbeaten 38 off 17 balls while batting at No. 6 in MI's IPL 2025 clash against DC.

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"Bumrah is still looking slightly 50-50" - Aakash Chopra on MI's bowling in IPL 2025 win vs DC

Jasprit Bumrah picked up a solitary wicket in MI's IPL 2025 clash vs DC. [P/C: Getty]

Reflecting on the Mumbai Indians' bowling, Aakash Chopra noted that Jasprit Bumrah (1/44 in four overs) isn't yet back to his best and that the spate of run-outs in the seamer's last over sealed the game in the visitors' favor.

"When it was Mumbai's turn to bowl, Bumrah is still looking slightly 50-50. He is not looking that comfortable. He was taken down at the start. However, the three run-outs in the end. Ashutosh Sharma got run out first, then Kuldeep Yadav, and then Mohit Sharma on a direct hit, and that's it," he said (5:15) in the same video.

The cricketer-turned-commentator lauded Karn Sharma for picking up three crucial wickets, highlighting that replacing the wet ball helped the spinner's cause.

"The ball was also changed. So a dry ball came. It's the new rules this year where you can apply saliva and change the ball as well. They changed the ball, and Karn Sharma picked up three wickets. Important wickets, (Tristan) Stubbs and (KL) Rahul got out, and suddenly the game turned on its head," Chopra observed.

Karn Sharma came in as an impact sub for Rohit Sharma in MI's IPL 2025 clash against DC. The leg-spinner registered figures of 3/36 in four overs, with Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs and KL Rahul being his victims.