Once upon a time, Mohit Sharma was the go-to-bowler for MS Dhoni, because of his wonderful variations with the slower ball. With age, Mohit’s consistency decreased till he relocated it for Gujarat Titans in the 2023 edition of the IPL. With death bowling becoming a worry for Chennai Super Kings over the past couple of seasons, can Mohit be the answer?
Throughout his career, Mohit Sharma concentrated more on his bowling variations rather than pace. He was a part of the CSK franchise from 2013-15, and then in 2019, doing reasonably well for the first two seasons, accordingly earning a white-ball cap for India. What stood out was his control in the death overs, with his slower deliveries being hard to pick, resulting in wickets.
Cutters, back-of-the-hand slower balls and slower bouncers were some of the key strengths of Mohit Sharma in his prime. In modern-day cricket, while raw pace is an asset, variations of pace get prioritized. Additionally, just having variations is not enough – how to execute them consistently matters a lot.
Another experienced asset with Sharma is his knowledge of injuries and setbacks. His career suffered a massive blow in 2019 and he could barely make a mark for the next few years. But he reinvented himself through rigorous training and discipline, becoming a key factor for Gujarat making the finals of the 2023 IPL. That experience can help bowlers having niggles or returning from injury, in terms of workload management.
Additionally, with Zaheer Khan as the head coach, Mohit can complement him well as a bowling coach. That does not mean batting is left out, but currently, it appears as if bowling is the bigger weak link. One of the key aspects of Chennai’s 2023 IPL win was their death bowling, with Matheesha Pathirana being the star. But his injuries not only hampered his own career, but CSK’s overall performance as well. Maybe, with Mohit in the ranks now, the death bowling can once again become a critical factor.
How can we forget Dwayne Bravo? No, he does not play cricket any more, but there could possibly have been none better than him to handle CSK’s bowling duties as a coach. But with Bravo choosing to mentor KKR post 2024, Mohit can serve as an ideal replacement.
At the end of the day, a coach does not just help bowlers rectify their actions. He or she is primarily used to work over smaller flaws in a bowler’s rhythm or action. Mohit Sharma is someone who understands what a bowler needs to do or avoid in the death overs of a T20, having been there and done those countless times in his playing days. Not to forget, Zaheer Khan was a master in death bowling himself. The ‘Yellow Army’ will hope that the duo combines well to improve their bowling overall.
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