Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 5 : Mumbai Indians (MI) opener Ryan Rickelton was all praise for his opening partner Rohit Sharma after the team's impressive six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Wankhede Stadium on Monday night.
Rickelton, who shared a successful 143-run opening partnership with Sharma, highlighted the unique chemistry between them and expressed his excitement at playing alongside one of India's greatest players.
After missing five matches due to hamstring injury, Rohit, known lovingly as 'Mumbai cha Raja' (The King of Mumbai), put on a batting display befitting a batting icon like him, chasing down a massive 229 set by LSG with six wickets in hand, unleashing some brutal hitting in tandem with opener Rickelton, scoring 84 in just 44 balls, with six fours and seven sixes.
"I think Rohit is just really good, that's the chemistry right there. Yeah, obviously nice to get out there again with him. He's obviously been on the sideline for a bit, and to see him come back and play the way he did, so free-flowing, is something unique," Rickelton said in the post-match press conference.
Rickelton also emphasised the complementary dynamic between him and Sharma, noting how their left-hand, right-hand combination adds value to the team's batting approach.
"I think we just complement each other really nicely as a left-hand, right-hand. We score in very different areas, and we're quite clear in our method and who we want to put pressure on in the evening. So yeah, we're obviously blessed with a really nice wicket and a nice place to bat as well here at the Wankhede," Rickelton added.
Reflecting on the match and his performance, Rickelton mentioned the joy of batting with Sharma and his continuous growth as a player.
"So yeah, just enjoyable to get out there, and hopefully we can have many more returns. Obviously, we're always playing to win, but as long as I'm trying to do my job and put MI first and contribute to the team for a good cause, then I'm happy with how I'm playing," the MI opener said.
Rickelton also spoke about the valuable insights he gained from Sharma, particularly in the earlier stages of his career.
"He probably picked his brain a little bit more in the first year, just about batting in general, not necessarily T20 batting, more tests and 50-over batting and the specifics and the mentality around it. I think he's just built differently," Rickelton explained.
Acknowledging Sharma's influence, Rickelton praised his calmness under pressure and his ability to back his own game.
"As I said, he's one of the greatest to play the game. And it's never always life-changing advice that you hear. It's stuff that you've heard through different paths and closures as you kind of work your way through the game. It's just more about how he manages pressure, how he stays calm and how he backs his ability and understands his game really well."
Concluding his thoughts, Rickelton expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to share the field with Sharma, adding, "So like I said, always really cool to be going out there to bat with one of India's greatest, and hopefully I can continue to do it for some time to come."
MI opted to bowl first, and knocks from Nicholas Pooran (63 in 21 balls, with four and eight sixes), Mitchell Marsh (44 in 25 balls, with six fours and three sixes) and Himmat Singh (40* in 31 balls, with two fours and two sixes) took LSG to 228/5.
However, a stand of 143 runs between Rickelton (83 in 32 balls, with six fours and eight sixes) and Rohit (84 in 44 balls, with six fours and seven sixes) helped MI make a light work of the chase and completed the chase in 18.4 overs.
MI are at the ninth spot with three wins and seven losses, while LSG are at the bottom with two wins and seven losses.