3. ROHIT SHARMA (MI)
A winner of three IPL titles (for DC in 2009 and for MI in 2013 and 2015), Rohit Sharma came into the tournament as the captain of the defending champions, Mumbai Indians which emerged victorious last season. Even though, Mumbai Indians were nowhere near as strong this year, Rohit enjoyed a reasonably good IPL season on the personal front. Having scored 489 runs from 14 games at a modest average of 44.45 and at a strike rate of 132.88, the Mumbaikar took his side across the finish line almost single-handedly on more than one occasion. The fact that the rest of the batting unit failed to step up to the plate during crunch situations affected their tournament hopes big time, which hindered them from advancing beyond the league stages of the tournament. Rohit’s amassment of runs hasn’t been uniform through the season. In seven out of the 14 games he batted first, he could only manage 95 runs at a substandard average of 13.60. On the flipside, his willow yielded 396 runs at a startling average of 99 while chasing. With the rest of the batting line-up virtually revolving around him, opposition bowlers would eye to take command of the games by scalping his wicket; which in turn would result in MI capitulating under pressure more often than not. It should not be overlooked that MI were deprived of playing their last few games at home, owing to the prevailing conditions of drought in the state of Maharashtra.
He did unearth some bright talents such as KrunalPandya and NitishRanabut overall, it was a mediocre season for Mumbai Indians in general and Rohit in particular.
Stats- Matches 14, Runs 489, HS 85*, N.O 3, Avg.- 44.45, S/R- 132.88, 5 fifties.
