New Delhi: From being a Gujarat Titans (GT) net bowler last year to almost taking the team to their second straight IPL title, 34-year-old pacer Mohit Sharma has been the biggest comeback story of the just-concluded 2023 season. Hardik Pandya’s comforting hug to Mohit Sharma seconds after Ravindra Jadeja’s final over blitz took Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to a record equalling fifth title not only showed the character of Titans captain, it was also an acknowledgement 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 after an exemplary first four deliveries but nothing can undermine his efforts through the season. He ended with 27 wickets in 14 games, second only to teammate and friend Mohammed Shami.
Not long after the playing the 2015 World Cup semifinal for India, Mohit had gone off the radar. However, 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. Mohit however, has certainly made a strong case to be tried in the few T20s that the national team play in a 50-over World Cup year.
One shouldn’t be surprised if Mohit partners alongside Deepak Chahar when India play the five-match T20 series in West Indies and USA in July.
Hardik, who is also expected to captain India in the next T20 showpiece, managed to get best out of Mohit at Titans. After a superlative performance in the IPL, Hardik 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, which he has enjoyed the most. His back of the hand slower ball, cutters and knuckle ball continue to trouble the batters but his improved fitness is also allowing him to bowl yorkers at good pace.
“Majority of my IPL and India career has been under Mahi (Dhoni) bhai. My good results have come with him, big credit goes to him for getting the best out of me,” Mohit said after the game that ended early Tuesday morning.
“But what matters more for me is how much you are enjoying the game. The time from 2013 to 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 added.
Having removed the rampaging Ambati Rayudu and MS Dhoni off successive balls, Mohit gave Titans the hope that they needed.
In the 20th over in which he needed to defend 13, the first four balls were perfect block-hole deliveries which did not allow either Shivam Dube or Jadeja to get underneath them.
Mohit could not be faulted for getting those two balls wrong. In the game of thinnest margins, he had done all he could.