IPL 2023 will not just be remembered for the young brigade that set the stage on fire, but also for some of the veterans. One in particular was Mohit Sharma who disappeared after playing 2015 World Cup semifinal. Then he ended up as a net bowler for Gujarat Titans last season. But with 27 wickets in 14 games and almost derailing Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2023 Final, he is on the selectors’ radar for India Tour of West Indies especially with T20 World Cup 2024 approaching. Follow India Tour of West Indies Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
The 35-year-old has been absent from India’s ODI and T20 roster since 2015 and 2018 respectively. But as India are going through a pace-bowling crisis due to a string of injuries, Mohit not very far away.
With 31 wickets in 26 ODIs and 6 wickets in 8 T20s, Mohit Sharma is well-experienced in international cricket. While the dip in form and ending up as a net bowler for GT last season was low, the former CSK pacer has rekindled hopes.
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Mohit Sharma IPL 2023 Stats:
- Matches: 14
- Wickets: 27
- Ovs: 44.1
- Avg: 13.37
- Econ: 8.17
- 4W: 2
- 5W: 1
Hardik Pandya’s comforting hug to Mohit seconds after Ravindra Jadeja’s final over blitz took CSK to a record-equalling fifth title not only showed the character of Titans captain, it was also an acknowledgment of Haryana pacer’s immense contribution to their campaign this season.
Mohit may not have been able to nail the last two balls of the 15th over of the final after an exemplary first four deliveries but nothing can undermine his efforts through the season as he ended with 27 wickets in 14 games
Not long after playing the 2015 World Cup semi-final for India, Mohit had gone off the radar but eight years later, the experienced campaigner has roared back into the spotlight. One doesn’t see him playing 50-over cricket again but can he sustain his form and fitness to make the Indian team in the 2024 T20 World Cup?
It is a long shot with the ICC event scheduled in the West Indies and the USA right after the IPL next year. But he has certainly made a strong case to be tried in the few T20s that the national team plays in a 50-over World Cup year. One shouldn’t be surprised if Mohit partners alongside Deepak Chahar when India played the five-match T20 series in West Indies and USA in July.
“Majority of my IPL and India career has been under Mahi bhai. My good results have come under him, big credit goes to him for getting the best out of me,” Mohit Sharma said.
Hardik, who is also expected to captain India in the next T20 showpiece, managed to get best out of Mohit at Titans and after a performance like that, he would be tempted to give the wily pace another go at the highest level.
Mohit had broken into the Indian team 10 years ago following his exploits under MS Dhoni at CSK but it is his stint at Titans, that he has enjoyed the most. His back-of-the-hand slower ball, cutters and knuckleball continue to trouble the batters but his improved fitness is also allowing him to bowl yorkers at good pace.
“But what matters more for me is how much you are enjoying the game. The 2013-2016 for CSK was the golden period in my career but in terms of environment, it is the best I have experienced in the IPL,” Mohit had told PTI shortly making his Titans debut last month.
Having lost his father amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Mohit’s perspective towards life has changed. He won’t be thinking about an India comeback but if that destiny has that in store for him, trust him to make an instant impact, just like he did in IPL this season.
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