Rohit Sharma did not become a limited-overs great and the most decorated IPL player by leaving deliveries alone.
On the eve of the 2020 final in Dubai, though, the captain of the title holders broke with habit.
The last question of his virtual press conference was a tester, and one that he was only happy to let slide by.
Mumbai Indians are apparently without weakness. On Tuesday evening, they will be going for their fifth title since 2013, while their captain will be going for his sixth in all, having won previously with Deccan Chargers.
So, if he was captaining against them, how would he go about beating them?
He did not even nibble. No suggestion that bowling wides, no balls and long hops against them was the real weakness of his team’s batsmen. Or that their bowlers just get really, really frustrated by batsmen playing forward defensives for 20 overs.
Instead, he simply said: “Never going to happen.”
He did venture one secret behind the success of the side who have won cricket’s most gilded competition more times than anyone else. But it was not exactly much for Delhi Capitals, their opposition in the final, to go on.
“It is not rocket science,” Rohit said. “We have worked really hard for the balance we have. All these players were available to all the teams, let me tell you that.
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IPL 2020 hits and misses
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HITS: Varun Chakravarthy (Kolkata Knight Riders; 17 wickets, 6.84 economy rate): From applying for architecture jobs in Dubai, to starring in the IPL here. He took the most wickets in a side including Pat Cummins, Lockie Ferguson and Sunil Narine. No surprise, then, that he has been called into the India squad to face Australia. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Rahul Tewatia (Rajasthan Royals; 255 runs at 42.5; 10 wickets, 7.08 economy rate): Brought the tournament to life with his Jekyll and Hyde innings in the extraordinary run chase against Kings XI Punjab in Sharjah. The fact he fielded well and took wickets, too, meant his signing from Delhi was a good one for Rajasthan. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Thangarasu Natarajan (Sunrisers Hyderabad; 14 wickets, 7.78 economy rate): One of the sweetest stories of this IPL has been the emergence of this son of a father who works in a textiles mill and a mother who runs a roadside food stall. His death bowling has been so reliable for Hyderabad. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Ishan Kishan (Mumbai Indians; 428 runs at 47.55): Two of the outstanding players in Mumbai’s title defence so far have been uncapped Indians, Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav. Kishan started the tournament out of the side, but played one of the most thrilling innings of the season, when he made 99 in a tie against RCB, and thrived thereafter. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Devdutt Padikkal (Royal Challengers Bangalore; 472 runs at 33.71): He was highly-regarded by those in the know ahead of this season, but the way he has established himself in arguably the most glittering batting line up in the tournament has been astounding. Five half centuries in the competition so far is highly impressive. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Anrich Nortje (Delhi Capitals; 19 wickets, 7.96 economy rate): The South African fast bowler was only recruited as a late injury replacement for Chris Woakes, but he has been a revelation for Delhi. Not least on the speed gun. He bowled the fastest ball in IPL history in a game in Sharjah. Sportzpics for BCCI -
MISSES: Kedar Jadhav (Chennai Super Kings; 62 runs at 20.66): Stephen Fleming, CSK’s coach, was testy in one press conference when Jadhav’s place in the line up was questioned. By the end of the league, though, he was basically unselectable, with a strike rate of 93.93. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders; 121 runs at 13.44; 5 wicket, 7.94 economy rate): The KKR great already looked out of sorts, so when the old doubts about his bowling action resurfaced, it hardly helped. Taken off the dubious action list, but he was still way off his best. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Sheldon Cottrell (Kings XI Punjab; 6 wickets, 8.8 economy rate): The captivating West Indies left-arm quick was one of the big money buys at auction ahead of this season, but he was stunned by Rahul Tewatia at Sharjah, and only ended up playing six of the 14 games. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Josh Philippe (Royal Challengers Bangalore; 78 runs at 19.5): Rated as one of the top prospects in Australian cricket, and he arrived in the UAE from touring the UK. As soon as he arrived, he went straight into the RCB XI and was given the gloves. But he has been run shy, and has played just five matches so far. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Prithvi Shaw (Delhi Capitals; 228 runs at 19): Not the only Delhi youngster who has underperformed with the bat. Rishabh Pant has been out of sync, too. But Shaw’s performances have also been undermined by lapses in the field, too. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Yashasvi Jaiswal (Rajasthan Royals; 40 runs at 13.33): This certainly felt like a tournament too soon for a left-hander who had excelled for India at the Under 19 World Cup in South Africa in January and February. Low scores and a strike rate of 90 saw him shuffled out of Rajasthan’s side promptly. Sportzpics for BCCI
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“Right from Quinton de Kock, to No 11 Jasprit Bumrah. All these players were available to all the squads.
“But we invested in them at the beginning. We had faith in them. The team management, the scouts, they have all done a good job with these guys.
“We want to make sure they get that comfort, they get that backing. Otherwise it is not possible to have a squad like this.
“We have seen every day how this game changes, and the individual players have to change as well.
"All these guys have adapted to that really well, which is why we are in this position.”
As if their overall IPL overall record over the past eight season – winners in 2013, 2015, 2017, and last year – was not daunting enough, they have also dominated Delhi in all the matches they have had this season.
Neither were the games even close: Mumbai won by 57 runs, nine wickets, and five wickets.
Rohit is warning against complacency, though, ahead of their next encounter at the Dubai International Stadium.
“There will be a psychological advantage, but what we have seen with the IPL is that every day is a new day, and every day brings new pressure,” Rohit said.
“Every game is a new game, so you can’t think too much about what has happened in the past.
“You can take a lot of confidence from the past, but you just can’t dwell on it.
“You have to move forward, and think about what you want to do in that particular game.”
Rohit is optimistic Trent Boult will be fit, following his hamstring strain he suffered in the qualifier match between the two sides, and suggested Jayant Yadav could be an option to return to the XI.
Win the toss, and it feels likely he would want to bat. Mumbai won all four of their IPL titles by batting first in the final.
Perhaps more pertinently, the two qualifier finals this season were also won by the sides defending.
It will be Delhi’s first appearance in a final. While they will definitely start as second favourites, they have no shortage of match-winners in their line up, such as Marcus Stoinis, who powered them through to the final in a win over Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday night.
“When these big games are coming up, I think it’s important to stick to your usual strategies and routines before games,” Stoinis said.
“It is a big game. They are a great team. They have been really good and consistent all year, and they have beaten us twice.
“But so had Sunrisers, so we will see what happens. We will bring our best game of cricket, and if we play our best, I reckon that will be good enough.”
