Head coach Mahela Jayawardene came under fire from former MI spinner Harbhajan Singh for allegedly rejecting opener Rohit Sharma’s tactical recommendation, which ultimately led to MI’s triumph. On April 13, the Mumbai Indians (MI) defeated the Delhi Capitals (DC) by an exciting 12-run margin in Delhi.
The right-arm spinner admitted that the former MI captain’s calculated play was what turned the tide in his team’s favour. Harbhajan emphasised that although the head coach might not have completely agreed, Rohit was the one who proposed more spinners, especially Karn Sharma. He praised Rohit’s tactical genius and attributed his instincts as a captain as being crucial.
“Rohit Sharma’s pivotal move made the difference between a defeat and victory. DC was winning the game handily. Karun Nair’s batting was excellent. There was no stopping him. He was spreading like wildfire, playing like Pushpa. It appeared like DC would prevail in the thirteenth over. Harbhajan posted on his YouTube channel, “But at that moment, Rohit asked Mahela Jayawardene, the head coach, to use spinners and bring Karn Sharma into the attack.”
“I believe Rohit Sharma disagreed with Mahela Jayawardene. The Mumbai Indians would have lost this game as well if they had followed Jayawardene’s advice. The best move was made by Rohit Sharma, who was present. The captain is him. He has a captain’s mindset at all times. He went on to say, “A captain is always the captain, and his tactical skill helped Mumbai win.”
I hope Rohit will continue to be involved: Harbhajan Singh
The leg spinner’s three-wicket spell, according to the 44-year-old, completely turned the tide of the match. The player from Jalandhar compared it to previous choices made by the former Sri Lankan star and expressed optimism that Rohit would keep sharing his thoughts from the dugout.
“The game changed course when Karn Sharma entered the attack and claimed three wickets. It was a brilliant move. If Rohit Sharma had been in the dugout when Mitchell Santner was sent in and Tilak Varma retired against Lucknow, this would not have occurred. A poor decision was made by Mahela Jayawardene. Against the Delhi Capitals, Rohit was outstanding. Coaches sometimes have to put their pride aside and think about what’s best for the squad. He continued, “I hope Rohit Sharma continues to share his thoughts from the dugout.”
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