\u201cHe (Rohit) has done a lot of work behind the scenes. He had a lot of skill work done in the last week. He joined us on the first day of our training camp. He looked very good in the nets. This is a newer version of Rohit as well \u2014 much fitter and very committed. So, I\u2019m looking forward to him leading us from the top,\u201d Jayawardene said on the sidelines of the final of the MI Junior on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Rohit, who retired from T20Is in 2024 after leading India to the ICC Men\u2019s T20 World Cup 2024 title, remains a key figure for Mumbai. In the previous IPL season, he scored 329 runs in 13 matches.<\/p>\n
While Jayawardene hopes for Rohit to deliver, he isn\u2019t concerned about India\u2019s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav\u2019s form. Despite the team\u2019s success, Suryakumar endured a relatively quiet campaign, scoring 242 runs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Sky [Suryakumar] is not worried too much about his form. He\u2019s a class operator,\u201d Jayawardene said. \u201cHe\u2019s always going to get there. He contributed when it mattered. Yes, consistency is something that he would want to improve. But I think leading the team the way he led the team and keeping everything together. There were a couple of tough decisions they had to make during the season and in the World Cup, which Sky did. Hats off to him. I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll have a good break and join the camp with a smiley face,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The former Sri Lanka captain also reserved special praise for Jasprit Bumrah.<\/p>\n
\u201c Jassi <\/i>is always a special player and it\u2019s just the work ethic he puts in and the way he thinks about the game that also matters,\u201d he said. \u201cThe way he executed in crucial moments for India in the World Cup was something special. We\u2019ve seen it in Mumbai [Indians] ranks many times and having closely worked with him, I know how much thinking goes behind those executions and what he wanted to do. So, I\u2019m quite happy for him.\u201d<\/p>\n