Mumbai’s latest IPL title also won last year in 2020, with Rohit being replaced by Hardik Pandya in 2024 as a skipper, but in the first edition of the all-around, he finished the bottom of the table.
Rohit’s legendary position with the side is likely to win him a long run to solve his personal batting problems, but could present a brave call if he can’t regain his form in the Mumbai hierarchy, even if the team maintains that inconsistency.
“There’s a lot of pressure on him, especially when he’s playing in India,” Jhunjhunwala added.
“In the IPL, as we saw with so many players, they were ruthless and we’ve seen it in the Mumbai Indians.
“There is patience with him, especially in Mumbai, as he has come in great numbers over the years.
“He still has it. I just feel he may have lost a bit of hand and eye adjustment, and it can happen, but your career can really fall short. He needs to work on a lot, especially his fitness.”
Former England Bowratimal Mills, who played with Rohit in Mumbai in 2022, also helped him rediscover his best form, describing him as a “bowra’s nightmare” during full flow.
“He was one of the most experienced players in the world, and he was there and did it at the highest level for a very long time,” Mills told BBC Sports.
“He will stick to his process and he will hit a lot of balls. You will always see him finish his extra work before others arrive.
“When you play as long as Rohit has, you’ll experience bad spells. Players of his class always come back.
“He had a very successful career and was a bowler nightmare and he earned the right to get a long leash.”
Mills also questioned whether being an impact sub with Rohit in five of the six games, including three innings of the second batting, was a ‘difficulty’.
