Mumbai Indians (MI) opener Rohit Sharma publicly thanked Abhishek Nayar for his stellar unbeaten knock of 76 runs against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday, April 20. Sharma’s mature innings, played off just 45 balls, earned him the Player of the Match award and guided the five-time champions to a comfortable nine-wicket victory while chasing down 177 at the Wankhede Stadium.
Rohit’s innings was a masterclass in blending watchful play with aggressive hitting, anchoring the chase with composure. His connection with Abhishek Nayar is well-established, with the duo having worked together previously when Nayar served as the assistant coach of the Indian team during Rohit’s captaincy.
Notably, before MI’s encounter against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 17, Rohit and Nayar were seen together at the Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) BKC facility, hinting at ongoing collaboration.
Following his match-winning performance against CSK, the Nagpur-born Sharma took to social media to acknowledge Nayar’s influence. In a concise yet appreciative post, Rohit simply wrote, “Thanks Bro!”
Abhishek Nayar recently parted ways with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and has since rejoined the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) setup.
“I Wanted to Hit the Ball,” Says Rohit After Knock
Speaking after his brilliant innings, Rohit addressed the pressure that can mount after a string of low scores and how he consciously avoided letting it affect his mindset.
“Wankhede wants to enjoy good cricket. After being here for a long time, it’s easy to start doubting yourself and start doing different things. It was important for me to practice well, hit the ball well. When you are clear in your mind, things like this can happen. It has been a while but if you doubt yourself, you put pressure on yourself. It is important to balance how you want to play,” Rohit explained after the match.
He further added, “Today I wanted to hit the ball but was also important to hold the shape and extend the arms. And then if the ball is in the arc, I wanted to try what I always do. It has not been happening consistently but I am not going to doubt myself.”
The Mumbai Indians will now travel to Hyderabad to face Pat Cummins’ Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their next IPL 2025 fixture on Wednesday, April 23, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Fans will be eager to see if Rohit Sharma can carry forward his stellar form into the next game.