Needles flak for Rohit even after scoring a ton

informed

If social media toxicity needed to touch another low, ask Rohit Sharma about it. The Indian cricket captain, across all three formats, was slammed by all and sundry for scoring a century on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium because it did not help the team. Against Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai came short but to blame Rohit for it was crazy.

The grouse against Rohit is he took too many balls to score that hundred, just his second in the Indian Premier League. Records say, his first ton came over a decade back. Rohit has already piled up 261 runs in IPL 2024 in six matches but some are still saying it’s not enough! His strike rate is 167.31. One needs to get the right perspective vis a vis the Mumbai Indians team in the IPL this year. Since the time Hardik Pandya was named captain, there has been chaos confounded. Many loyal to Rohit have mocked Pandya for his captaincy, his bowling getting tonked and batting very poor.

Yet, if MI have lost, Rohit is not to be blamed. If anything, despite losing captaincy of the franchise, the India captain has strived to do his best. It is well known with the ICC T20 World Cup to be held in June in the USA and West Indies, the debate over team selection has begun. Rohit will be the captain and given the rich form shown by Virat Kohli, he will also be in. But then, just as Kohli has been slammed for scoring at a slow strike rate in this IPL, now Rohit is facing flak.

At a time when many leading players are struggling in the IPL, Rohit has played his usual, free self. He has almost patented the art of scoring huge runs in Power Play.

Be it the ICC ODI World

Cup last year or Tests, Rohit has been aggressive in approach. To say that his ton was a waste and he let down Mumbai Indians is in poor taste. Rohit, himself, has been quiet about it. After all, super stars are inert to criticism. If there are a few players who will be sure picks in the World Cup, it will be Rohit, Virat, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumraj and Ravindra Jadeja. So many others are struggling for form, though Shubman Gill has shown promise. Someone like KL Rahul is out of form, so his place comes under the scanner. At the same time, Sanju Samson has been on fire for Rajasthan Royals.

Social media toxicity is not new at all. The problem is, fans are crazy and want their team to win at any cost. Minus Rohit Sharma, age 36, an Indian team looks so weak. Instead of praising his efforts, the criticism he has faced is in poor taste. This will not stop, for there is no limit to hatred and every person using social media is a cricket expert. So, Rohit has to just play his natural game.

Rohit has already piled up 261 runs in IPL 2024 in six matches but some are still saying it’s not enough! His strike rate is 167.31