I pick Rohit’s brain on batting: Ryan

Mumbai Indians opener Ryan Rickelton says he never misses an opportunity to pick Rohit Sharma’s brain on different facets of batting but the Indian legend is way better at demonstrating how it’s done, pulling off shots that he can strike only in his “wildest dreams”.

The 29-year-old Rickelton (83) and Rohit (84) combined for their second century partnership of this season to power Mumbai Indians to a six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants on Monday, helping the team stay alive in the competition after a tumultuous run.

“I picked his brain a little bit more (in the) first year, just about batting in general. Not necessarily T20 batting, (it was) more (about) Tests and 50-overs batting and the specifics and the mentality around it,” Rickelton said when asked about the tips he has received from Rohit.

“It’s never always (a) life-changing advice that you hear. It is the stuff that you’ve heard through different paths and closures as you kind of work your way through the game. It is just more (about) how he manages pressure, how he stays calm and how he backs his ability and understands his game really well,” he said.

Rickelton said having different areas to target and being clear about their methods is the secret behind their success as an opening pair.

“We compliment each other nicely as a left-hand right-hand (combination), we score in very different areas and we are quite clear in our methods and who we want to put pressure on,” he said.

Talking about their approach as a pair, Rickelton said, “Sometimes he gets away really quickly and takes a lot of pressure off me and sometimes I get away quickly and take a lot of pressure off him.”

“Coming back from five or six games out, he gave himself a few balls to just get back to batting again and his routines and then transferring that pressure onto the bowlers. He hit some shots that I could only have in my wildest dreams.”

Rickelton said having senior South African wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock, who also scored an IPL ton earlier this season, in the squad also put pressure on him. “It was tricky to manage mentally because maybe you are burning yourself with a bit more pressure to do well, because you have a guy who is flipping good sitting behind you and the whole world is screaming to pick him,” he said.

“...you can put yourself under a bit too much pressure. But on the flip side, I got an opportunity when he did some damage to his hand,” Rickelton added.

Rickelton, who made 83, said he got an earful from de kock for not pulling off a hundred.

“He was the first person to absolutely abuse me tonight, saying I threw away a hundred, which I agree with him.”

No idea about Pandya’s injury: Rickelton said he was not aware of the extent of skipper Hardik Pandya’s injury. Pandya missed the clash due to a back spasm.

“I do not know when he is expected to be back. I found out this afternoon that he has back spasms so I am unaware to the extent of the injury or how bad it is or what he is feeling. But I am sure he will be with the group as we head to Raipur this week,” he said.