Sunil Gavaskar backs Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma to score big in IPL 2022

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has backed Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to score big in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

In the list of most runs in the ongoing IPL season, Kohli and Rohit are present in 37th and 39th place respectively. While Kohli has managed 119 runs in seven games, Rohit has scored 114 runs in seven innings. Both batsmen, who are among the world's best T20 players, are not even averaging 20 at present in the tournament.

Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) are yet to win a game in the IPL 2022, having lost all their seven matches. Their latest defeat came against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai on Thursday. Batting first, MI managed just 155 runs in 20 overs. They lost both their openers within the first five deliveries of their innings. Rohit was dismissed for a two-ball duck, while Ishan Kishen went for a golden duck.

With their seventh consecutive loss in IPL 2022, MI now have registered the worst-ever start to a season for an IPL franchise, going past Delhi Daredevils (6 games in 2013) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (6 games in 2019).

"Form is invariably one innings away. He has gone 7 innings without scoring the kind of runs that we all expect from him. But you can regain your form in just one innings. That's what Mumbai Indians have to keep hoping for. What it will do also, it will make an impact on the rest of the team. When he scores runs, you can be pretty certain that the team will post big totals. He is the kind of person who will go on to get into the 80s and 90s. His form is important for MI.

"It's just one of those things. When somebody goes through a bad patch, then it's difficult. You make simple mistakes, sometimes you get a great delivery, and you get to see a great catch taken. Sometimes an inside edge goes onto stumps," Gavaskar told Star Sports.

Referring to Kohli as well, Gavaskar added that it was a matter of one innings where the two batters cross 30.

"It's happening to Kohli too. Kohli's first mistake is turning out to be his last mistake. For both these players, it's just a matter of one innings, one innings where you get to 30, once they get there, they will get the big score," added Gavaskar.

It is not a common sightseeing Kohli and Rohit struggle with the bat in the IPL. While Kohli is the leading run-scorer and the only batsman to have scored 6,000 or more runs in the T20 league, Rohit is the fourth leading run-scorer in the IPL.

MI are set to return home as they next take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Sunday at Wankhede Stadium. RCB's next fixture is against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.