IPL 2019: Will Rohit Sharma open for Mumbai Indians this season?

Mumbai Indians bought Rohit Sharma for a couple of million dollars in the 2011 auctions, and he has been worth every penny - perhaps even more - by winning three IPL titles in a space of 5 years.

Before entering the blue camp, Rohit had already scored over 1200 runs for Deccan Chargers, and had won the trophy in 2009. He has always been touted as ‘talented’ and ‘gifted’ throughout his entire career.

He got an opportunity to open for India in the Champions Trophy 2013, and since then he has become one of the most fearsome openers in limited overs cricket. In his current form Rohit would walk into any white ball XI just as easily as Virat Kohli would.

As the old saying goes, the best batsman of the team should face the maximum possible deliveries. But the Mumbai Indians management differs on this, as their best batsman without Rohit isn’t often found at the top of the line-up.

It is inconceivable that a batsman who wins matches for his country opening the batting, does not open for his IPL franchise. Last season, Rohit was paired with the Windies striker Evin Lewis, but just two matches into the tournament he dropped himself to number four.

Though Suryakumar Yadav was impressive at the top, it was Rohit’s below-par performance at No. 4 which made this decision questionable. Rohit scored 286 runs, which is the least he has ever accumulated in a single season of IPL.

Rohit’s batting position has been a much-discussed topic among MI fans, but in the coming IPL they might see him opening the batting again. “With Rohit Sharma opening, Yuvi will bring experience to the middle order, at No. 4 or No. 5”, an eager Akash Ambani said after the auctions.

Mumbai purchased six players in the recently concluded auctions, and the most talked about was Yuvraj Singh. They were in the hunt for an experienced campaigner to hold fort in the middle order, and Yuvraj will presumably fill that gap.

JP Duminy was bought last year but his form and restrictions on the number of overseas players saw him being axed from the squad. Now, the 2019 IPL is expected to be one final hurrah for Yuvraj, and the veteran would like to contribute in as many ways as possible to his sixth IPL franchise.

If Yuvraj can give stability to the middle order, which they lacked last year, the franchise could well continue their sequence of winning the title in every odd year, a sequence that started in 2013.

Although Mumbai have Quinton de Kock, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan, batting Rohit at any position lower than three would be unjustified.

Mumbai have had some of the most prolific openers in Sanath Jayasuriya, Sachin Tendulkar and Dwayne Smith. And in 2019, the bowlers would not like what’s coming if the combination of Evin Lewis and Rohit Sharma is persisted with.