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Former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble lauded Mumbai Indians batting icon Rohit Sharma's majestic half-century against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), describing it as a return to his dominant "2.0 avatar".
Kumble highlighted Rohit's effortless strokeplay against top bowlers, his improved fitness, and sharp timing, calling the knock a statement performance that will pose a challenge to all IPL teams. Mumbai Indians ended a 13-season jinx by winning their first opening Indian Premier League (IPL) match with a clinical six-wicket victory over KKR on Sunday. "Rohit Sharma seems to have arrived in his 2.0 avatar, and his innings showed he is ready to dominate again. The way he hit the ball all around the ground reminded me of his prime. It is not easy to hit sixes against bowlers like Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine and Blessing Muzarabani, but he made it look easy," Kumble said on Star Sports. "He has worked a lot on his fitness, and when you come back after a short break, it takes five to seven days to get your timing back and find your rhythm. This was a fantastic innings, very similar to what we have seen at Wankhede, where he takes on the bowlers from the first ball. The six-hitting looked easy, and even though the boundaries were small, those shots were going into the stands. This knock shows that Rohit means business, and this version of him will worry all IPL teams," Kumble added. MI veteran batter Rohit Sharma put in a good showing, scoring 78 runs in 38 deliveries laced with 6 fours and sixes each. With half-centuries from Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, and a late cameo from Rinku Singh, KKR posted 220 in their 20 overs. In reply, Ryan Rickelton and Sharma's majestic fifties helped MI to register a dominant six-wicket victory over KKR. (ANI)
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