IPL 2019 | This year I’ll open batting for all games, reveals Rohit Sharma

Assuring time and again that he would always be available to bat anywhere the team would be asking him to, Sharma has revealed that he would stick to his opening slot this season keeping in mind the World Cup and also his previous success in that position.

"This year, I will open the batting for all the games. That's for sure. World Cup is one of the factors. But that [opening position] is where I have got a lot of success of late. The team understands that. We now have got some experience in the middle order. That allows me to go and bat at the top. I will try and open in every game possible," said Sharma, reported India Today.

"My approach will be the same as it is for any tournament. I have in the past batted in the middle order and I have opened as well in a few games. Yeah, whatever the team requires me to bat, I have to bat there. We have to make sure we get the right balance and team composition," he added.

Opening for Indian, Sharma has been incredibly successful averaging more than 50 in ODIs amassing 6043 runs, which consists of 20 centuries at the top of the order. In the middle-overs, however, Rohit Sharma’s average has significantly decreased. This trend has followed in IPL as well, with Sharma tallying just 286 runs in 14 matches last season. Even when Mumbai had won the title the previous season, Rohit’s average was only 23.78 from 17 matches.

Interestingly, Mumbai have roped in Quinton de Kock this season alongside the already available options of Evin Lewis and Suryakumar Yadav. They could be spoilt for choices.