‘The first game could be my last, who knows?’ – Chris Lynn after Rohit Sharma’s run out
After warming the bench for the entire 2020 edition, Chris Lynn made his debut for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). But in the game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, the 31-year-old batsman was involved in a horrible mix-up with his skipper Rohit Sharma that led to the latter’s run out.
Rohit was batting on 19 at a strike rate of 126.67 with a four and a six before getting out in the fourth over. Recalling the moment, the right-handed Lynn, hilariously, said that the game could well be his last after the incident.
I put just a little bit more pressure on myself: Chris Lynn
“Look, obviously I was a bit nervous, no doubt about it. (It was my) first game for Mumbai and it was the first time I was batting with Rohit as well. I thought there was a run, and then obviously there wasn’t a run. But yeah, if I had been able to run past him and sacrifice my wicket, I definitely would have done that,” Lynn said in the post-match press conference.
“It happens, but yeah, I put just a little bit more pressure on myself. It’s not ideal, running out your captain in the first game. The first game could be my last, who knows? (laughs). But anyhow, it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. It would have been nice (if the run-out didn’t happen); he was striking the ball nicely, and we were 10 or 15 runs short in the end. He would have definitely made a difference,” he added.
Lynn didn’t flatter to deceive from the personal viewpoint as he notched 49 runs off 35 balls with four fours and three sixes. He perished to Washington Sundar while trying to go for a big shot. At that point in time, MI’s score was 105 for three in 12.5 overs.
In the end, Rohit’s team managed 159 after Harshal Patel’s five-wicket haul. The score didn’t turn to be enough as the Challengers chased the target of 160 down and won by two wickets. MI’s second game in IPL 2021 is against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 13.
Mumbai Indians’ (MI) Chris Lynn said that “a bit of a shoulder niggle” didn’t allow Hardik Pandya to bowl in the opening game of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Hardik didn’t bowl in the 2020 IPL as well and returned to bowling in India’s tour of Australia after which he also rolled his arms over in the limited-overs series against England.
The 31-year-old Lynn stated that bearing in mind the amount of workload, Hardik refrained from bowling as a precautionary measure. Lynn, however, admitted that the Mumbai-based team yearned for a sixth bowling option in the IPL 2021 opener at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
We’ll see Hardik Pandya with the ball sooner rather than later: Chris Lynn
“I’m not a hundred percent sure but it’s a bit of a shoulder niggle. I think Hardik Pandya, not bowling is maybe more precautionary. He’s played a fair bit of cricket leading up to this tournament, in which he has to play (minimum) 14 games as well.
“So you don’t want to throw your eggs in one basket and risk injury. The physios and the staff doctors will treat Hardik if there’s something wrong,” Lynn was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda.
“He is a huge factor with the bat but if he gets bowling, then it adds another dimension to the team. We might have been missing the sixth bowler tonight but it’s early stages in the tournament. I do believe if Hardik is bowling then it brings out confidence in his batting as well. So fingers crossed we’ll see him with the ball sooner rather than later,” he added.
Even as he didn’t bowl, Hardik didn’t have an auspicious day with the bat either. He managed a 10-ball 13 with two fours before Harshal Patel trapped him plumb in front. Lynn, on the contrary, had a satisfactory day as he scored 49 runs off 35 balls with four fours and three sixes.
After losing their opening game by two wickets, Rohit Sharma and Co are next scheduled to lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Tuesday, April 13 at the Chepauk itself.
