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Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir has revealed that Rohit Sharma is the only player who gave him sleepless nights in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Hailing the former Mumbai Indians (MI) captain, Gambhir described Rohit as the only batter he feared while playing in the IPL.
Rohit has led Mumbai Indians to five IPL title triumphs, a record which was matched by MS Dhoni when he captained Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to victory in the 2023 season. Gambhir himself guided KKR to two wins in the T20 league in 2012 and 2014.
Speaking to Star Sports ahead of the 2024 season of the Indian Premier League, the former India batter opened up on the player who gave him a tough time in the T20 league.
“The only player who's given me sleepless nights. Not Chris Gayle, not AB de Villiers, only Rohit Sharma has given me sleepless nights in the IPL. With Rohit, I knew that I had to have Plan A, Plan B, and probably Plan C as well because if Rohit is in, I don't think anyone can control him,” the KKR mentor candidly admitted.
Praising Rohit, the 42-year-old added that he had to prepare multiple plans for the batter since the 'Hitman' has the ability to make a mockery of opposition tactics.
“The only batsman I have feared in IPL is Rohit Sharma. I have never planned for any other batter except for Rohit Sharma. There have been times when I've seen the visuals, where I said fair enough, plan A is fine. But with Rohit Sharma, probably one night before, I used to think if this doesn't work, I have to get this. If this doesn't work, I have to get the other plan,” Gambhir explained.
“If Sunil bowls his four overs, who is going to bowl the next 16? And if I finish off Sunil early and if Rohit is there, he can hit 30 off one over as well. Rohit is the only batter I was scared of as an IPL captain,” the former KKR captain concluded.
Under Rohit, Mumbai Indians last won the IPL in 2020 when they beat Delhi Capitals (DC) by five wickets in the final in Dubai.
Rohit Sharma’s IPL stats
Rohit (36) has played 243 IPL matches in which he has scored 6,211 runs at an average of 29.58 and a strike rate of 130.05, with one hundred and 42 fifties.
The right-handed batter has had a couple of lean seasons in the T20 league. He scored 268 runs in 14 matches in 2022 at an average of 19.14 and 332 runs in 16 games in 2023, averaging 20.75.
