‘Uska Jaane Ka Time Aa Gaya’: Virender Sehwag’s Stark Message To Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma’s Batting Struggles in IPL 2025

Mumbai Indians’ stalwart Rohit Sharma finds himself in the midst of a concerning batting slump as the IPL 2025 season progresses. The five-time IPL-winning former captain’s scores this season paint a troubling picture: 0, 8, 13, 17, 18, and most recently, 26 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. With just 82 runs from six innings at a disappointing average of 13.66, questions are beginning to mount about the 38-year-old’s T20 future.

In Thursday’s match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, current Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya brought Rohit in as an Impact Player, signaling a shift in how the team is utilizing the veteran. Despite this strategic adjustment, Rohit managed just 26 runs before being dismissed by Australian pacer Pat Cummins. The low score continued a pattern that has characterized his IPL 2025 campaign thus far.

Virender Sehwag’s Candid Assessment: “Time To Retire”

Former India opener Virender Sehwag, known for his straightforward commentary, has delivered a stark assessment of Rohit’s situation. In a recent interview with Cricbuzz, Sehwag didn’t mince words when suggesting that perhaps the time has come for Rohit to consider stepping away from the T20 format.

“Ab uska jaane ka time aa gaya (It’s already time for him to retire), and before retiring, you would want to give fans something to remember you by, and not moments that force them to think, why are they not dropping him.”

Sehwag’s comments have stirred significant debate in cricket circles, with fans and analysts alike weighing in on whether one of India’s most decorated cricketers should continue in the shortest format of the game. What makes Sehwag’s criticism particularly noteworthy is his own experience as a former opener who faced similar career decisions.

The Legacy Question: How Poor Form Affects Perception

Central to Sehwag’s critique is a concern about Rohit’s legacy in the game. The former India opener emphasized that continued poor performances could tarnish how fans remember Rohit’s illustrious career, which includes leading Mumbai Indians to a record five IPL titles and captaining India to the T20 World Cup triumph in 2024.

“If you look at Rohit’s IPL numbers in the last 10 years, he scored more than 400 runs only once. So he is not the kind of player who thinks that I need to score 500 or 700 runs. If he thinks, he might. When he became the Indian captain, he said that he wanted to be the player who wants to cash in on the powerplay and take the chances, so he wanted to make all the sacrifices alone, but he is not considering the fact that at the end of the day when he is not performing, it is your legacy that is getting hurt,” Sehwag explained.

Technical Problems Behind Rohit’s Poor Form

Beyond the retirement suggestion, Sehwag offered technical insights into what might be causing Rohit’s current struggles. He specifically highlighted Rohit’s tendency to get dismissed while attempting the pull shot, a stroke that has historically been one of his strengths but has recently become a vulnerability.

“He has been getting out to that pull shot many times against the back of the length deliveries. So he should decide that in one innings he will not play the pull shot at all,” Sehwag advised, suggesting that Rohit might benefit from temporarily removing this high-risk shot from his repertoire to regain form.

This technical observation points to a potential pattern that opposition teams have identified and exploited. Pat Cummins, who dismissed Rohit in the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, has been known to target this particular weakness, bowling back-of-length deliveries that tempt Rohit into attempting the pull shot under pressure.

The Missing Mentor: Who Can Guide Rohit?

Sehwag also touched upon what might be a critical missing element in Rohit’s current situation: the absence of senior mentorship. Drawing from his own playing experience, Sehwag recalled how legends of the game had guided him through rough patches.

“But who will explain it to him? There should be someone telling him to play normal cricket. When I was there, Sachin, Dravid or Ganguly used to tell me to play normal cricket,” Sehwag reflected.

Rohit’s Long-Term IPL Performance: A Deeper Look

Sehwag’s comments about Rohit’s IPL record over the past decade highlight an interesting pattern. Despite being widely considered one of the game’s premier batsmen, Rohit has crossed the 400-run mark in an IPL season only once in the last ten years. This statistic provides context to his current struggles, suggesting they may be part of a longer-term trend rather than a temporary dip.

This pattern becomes particularly significant when considering Rohit’s role within the Mumbai Indians setup. While his leadership was instrumental in building a dynasty that claimed five IPL titles, his individual batting contributions have often been overshadowed by other batsmen in the team. The transition away from captaincy to Hardik Pandya this season has removed the leadership dimension that previously balanced his batting output.

Mumbai Indians Find Victory Despite Rohit’s Form

Despite Rohit’s batting struggles, Mumbai Indians secured a crucial four-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in Thursday’s low-scoring encounter at the Wankhede Stadium. The win came on the back of a disciplined bowling performance, spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and captain Hardik Pandya.

Will Jacks emerged as the standout performer for Mumbai, picking up two key wickets and contributing a valuable 36 with the bat to guide the team to their second consecutive victory in IPL 2025. This marked Mumbai Indians’ third win of the season, taking their tally to six points and lifting them to seventh place in the standings—breaking free from the congestion of teams stuck at four points near the bottom of the table.

The team’s ability to win despite Rohit’s poor form raises questions about his current value to the side, especially when compared to his previous role as a captain who could influence matches through tactical decisions even when not scoring heavily.

What Are Rohit’s Options Going Forward?

Facing this critical juncture in his T20 career, Rohit Sharma has several potential paths forward. He could heed Sehwag’s advice and consider stepping away from the IPL while still at the helm of India’s Test and ODI teams. This approach would mirror his decision to retire from T20 Internationals after winning the World Cup in 2024, prioritizing formats where his leadership and batting remain most impactful.

Alternatively, Rohit could push through this rough patch, adopting technical adjustments suggested by Sehwag and others to address specific weaknesses that have emerged in his game. This would require a willingness to temporarily set aside shots like the pull that have become liabilities while rebuilding his confidence through a more conservative approach.

As the IPL 2025 season progresses, all eyes will remain on the Hitman to see if he can silence critics like Sehwag with a return to form or whether this truly marks the beginning of the end for one of T20 cricket’s most decorated figures. Either way, the conversation initiated by Sehwag’s stark assessment has ensured that Rohit’s every innings will now be viewed through the lens of his broader legacy in the game.