IPL 2023: Virender Sehwag Upset With Rohit Sharma Despite MI's Massive Win Vs LSG. Know Why

Virender Sehwag pointed out a moment from Lucknow's innings which made the veteran "upset" with Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma.

Virender Sehwag pointed out a moment from Lucknow's innings which made the veteran "upset" with Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma. ( Image Source :PTI )

Five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) winners Mumbai Indians (MI) rode on Akash Madhwal's phenomenal pace-bowling spell (5 wickets for 5 runs in 3.3 overs) to attain a thumping 81-run win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a do-or-die IPL 2023 Eliminator match on Wednesday (May 24) in Chennai. Batting first, Mumbai Indians (MI) posted a competitive 183-run target for their opponents, who in reply got all out for merely 101 runs.

Meanwhile, ex-India opener Virender Sehwag, one of the most respected voices in modern day cricket, said he was upset with Mumbai Indians (MI) captain Rohit Sharma despite his team's massive win over LSG in IPL Eliminator. Sehwag pointed out a moment from Lucknow's innings which made the veteran "upset" with Rohit Sharma.

Rohit's decision to ask inexperienced spinner Hrithik Shokeen to bowl the final over of the powerplay made Sehwag upset. Shokeen bowled the final over of the Powerplay, against in-form Marcus Stoinis at the strikers' end. Stoinis hammered Shokeen for 18 runs (two boundaries and a six) in this over, ensuring the young spinner didn't return to bowl again in the match. Sehwag feels Rohit could've asked Shokeen to bowl after the Powerplay.

"I was upset with Rohit because he is a young bowler, and that time, Stoinis, an international player, who is set at the crease, was looking to target a bowler. You gave that sixth over to Shokeen, and Stoinis took him to cleaners. I can understand that you gave the ball to the spinner considering there was a left-hander on strike as well. But you had an in-form bowler in Piyush Chawla who has taken wickets this season. You could've given the over to him," Sehwag told Cricbuzz.

"Any other bowler could've probably given 6-8 runs. I thought the pressure was released in that over. But thankfully, after that strategic timeout, Krunal Pandya played that shot that resulted in his wicket and they collapsed. I still feel, though, that Rohit made a mistake there and he shouldn't have given that over to Shokeen. He could've brought him after the powerplay, because the field would've spread after six overs," the former India opener said.