“Ishan Kishan’s poor form adds to Mumbai Indians’ batting woes in IPL 2021”

Mumbai: Mumbai Indians are in shock after losing consecutively in the IPL. After starting losing, they are relieved that they are back on the winning track when they lose to Punjab and Gujarat continuously. If they were fighting and losing against Punjab, then they were humiliating defeat against Gujarat. Captain Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav shone against Punjab but both disappointed against Gujarat.

Even when experts and fans are criticizing Rohit and Suriya’s poor form in Mumbai’s successive defeats, there is another star who actually escapes criticism. Mumbai bought Ishan Kishan for 15.25 crores in IPL Mega Star Auction 2021. The reality is that Kishan, who faded last season, has not been able to reach his form this season as well. As the wicket keeper is a batter, he cannot play.

Kishan has scored only one half-century in the seven matches he has played this season. Kishan’s highest score of the season was 58 off 25 balls against Kolkata. Kishan’s second highest score was 38 off 31 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Kishan’s other performances include 10 off 13 balls against RCB in the first match of the season, 32 off 21 balls against Chennai Super Kings, 31 off 26 balls against Delhi Capitals, 1 off 4 balls against Punjab Kings and 13 off 21 balls against Gujarat while chasing the target of over 200 yesterday. Captain Rohit Sharma, who is struggling to find his rhythm, is playing like this when Kishan has to break and relieve pressure while playing defensively in the power play.

Rohit disappointed again, embarrassing record; Fans stop

Let’s see Rohit’s performance with Kishan. Yesterday Rohit’s performance was 2 in 8 balls against Gujarat, 44 in 27 balls against Punjab, 28 in 18 balls against Hyderabad, 20 in 13 balls against Kolkata, 65 in 45 balls against Delhi, 21 in 13 balls against Chennai and 1 in 10 balls against RCB. In the previous outings, only yesterday and against RCB, Rohit lost more balls.

But Mumbai’s batting is under pressure as Ishan Kishan plays defensively at the start and plays more dot balls and then gets out without scoring much. Kishan, who could not even understand the line and length of Mohammed Shami’s ball in the power play overs against Gujarat yesterday, underlined once again that he is a batsman who can only break on flat tracks.

Even before the IPL, Kishan’s slow pace was the talk of the town when he opened for India. In the last two T20Is against New Zealand, Kishan’s score was 19 off 32 balls and one off three balls.

Last Updated Apr 26, 2023, 11:31 AM IST