IPL 2023 is here and the opening match of the new season will feature last season’s debutants and reigning champions Gujarat Titans and 4-time IPL winners Chennai Super Kings. It will be a mouth watering clash as the 2 captains know each other really well and they have also shared the dressing room when playing for India.
Both Gujarat and Chennai have some exciting players in their disposal and the introduction of the Impact player rule will be under implementation for the first time in IPL later tonight. But before all the action began, team captains got together for a group photo alongside the IPL trophy.
The greatest cricket show on earth is back with a bang: prepare to cheer for your favorite team and join me as @IPL returns home!🇮🇳
Penned down my thoughts here: https://t.co/0oFNrRflU7
Let the games begin!#IPL2023 #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/QGDPvCGrdc
— zaheer khan (@ImZaheer) March 31, 2023
While CSK, DC, GT, RR, PBKS, RCB, LSG and KKR had their Captains present, Indian pacer Bhuvaneshwar Kumar was representing Sunrisers Hyderabad due to the absence of Aiden Markram. But amid all of them, one major name was missing and that was of IPL’s most successful captain Rohit Sharma.
His absence generated a lot of news regarding his fitness, work load and availability for the first few matches but a recent report suggests that there is nothing serious. The Indian captain during a recent MI press conference, sat alongside coach Mark Boucher and both spoke about Sharma’s availability.
Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma and head coach Mark Boucher addressing the press in the pre-season PC pic.twitter.com/8buX9W6nNR
— Anuj Nitin Prabhu (@APTalksCricket) March 29, 2023
“In regards to resting Rohit, he is the captain. Hopefully he gets into some good sort of form and I hope he doesn’t want to rest. But yeah, we all adapt to different situations. If I can get the best out of him as a captain and player, that will be great. If it means he wants to rest 1 or 2 games, then I will do that. Absolutely, no problem.”
Boucher said that it is up to Rohit if he wants to miss a few games and with BCCI’s constant pressure to franchises for not over loading Indian players, the right-hand batter could miss a few games. Meanwhile, the 35-year-old was reportedly ill and could not travel to Ahmedabad.
The same report suggested that Rohit Sharma is in line to play MI’s opening match against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday.
