Rohit Sharma Reveals Why Ishan Kishan Didn't Bat In The Super-Over

Rohit Sharma, Mumbai Indians captain, has revealed the reason behind Ishan Kishan not coming out to bat in the Super-Over. Ishan Kishan played an innings of his life on Monday as he smashed his highest IPL score, falling just short of what would have been one of the great IPL hundreds of all times.

With 17 required off the last 4 balls, Kishan smashed consecutive sixes to bring the equation down to 5 off the last two deliveries. He holed out on the succeeding ball before Kieron Pollard pulled Isuru Udana for a boundary past deep backward square-leg to force the game to yet another Super-Over.

Everyone was expecting Ishan Kishan to walk out to face the Super-Over along with Kieron Pollard. But to everyone’s surprise, it was Hardik Pandya who partnered the burly all-rounder. Navdeep Saini gave away just seven runs in the super-over besides claiming Pollard’s wicket while Hardik Pandya struggled for connection.

According to Rohit Sharma, the prodigiously talented left-hander was completely drained out and that was really the reason why he didn’t walk out to bat for the Super-Over.

He (Kishan) was drained out and was not comfortable. We thought we could send him but he was not feeling fresh. Hardik is somebody we trust to hit long balls, it is not coming off but we are confident he can pull things off for us. I mean 7 runs you need to have luck on your side, we had to get wickets but there was also an unfortunate boundary. We came back really well and a lot of positives to take away from this game.

Great innings by Ishan Kishan and then Kieron Pollard was brilliant as usual for us- Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma admitted that Mumbai Indians were never really in the run-chase and lauded the duo of Kishan and Pollard for taking them so close to the target.

MI needed  90 runs off the last five overs and needed a sustained onslaught to make a match out of it. It all started in the 17th over when Kieron Pollard smashed Adam Zampa for 27 runs before the duo carted Yuzvendra Chahal for three more sixes in the next over to wipe out 49 runs from the target within a space of 12 balls.

Navdeep Saini bowled a brilliant 19th over, giving away just 12 runs. But Ishan Kishan proceeded to thump Udana for consecutive sixes to once again breathe life into the contest before Pollard eventually took it to the Super-Over.

Rohit also went on to laud RCB for the nerves that they showed in the crunch moments.

It was a great game of cricket. We were not in the game at all when we started off with the bat. Great innings by Ishan there and then Pollard was brilliant as usual for us. It is just that we couldn’t start well, I thought we could chase 200 with the batting power we have. We didn’t get the momentum in the first 6-7 overs and also lost three wickets. With Polly being there anything can happen, Ishan was also hitting it well so we had the belief that we would get there. Nothing to take away from RCB they held their nerve more than us,” Rohit Sharma said.

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