Ryan Rickleton has revealed how he has picked the brains of Rohit Sharma by avoiding T20 talk and instead holding conversations about batting in general to continue his rise in Mumbai Indians colours. Rickleton was one of the stars for MI in their win against LSG, which helped the five-time champions keep their IPL 2026 playoff hopes alive.
MI vs LSG: Highlights | Scorecard
Rickleton scored 83 off 32 balls as MI chased down 229 in 18.4 overs with six wickets remaining. The South African continues to be one of the bright sparks for Mumbai this season, having been their highest run-getter with 380 in eight matches at a strike rate of 190.95. He put on a 143-run stand with Rohit in 65 balls, their third century stand in 18 outings.
During this time, the duo have amassed 825 runs, making them the fourth best opening partnership for MI in their history. So, what’s the reason behind their success? Rickleton says it is all down to the chemistry from Rohit.
“I think Rohit is just really good, that’s the chemistry right there. Obviously nice to get up 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 quite unique. I think we complement each other really nicely as a left-hand, right-hand [pair].”
“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. So that was probably tonight, but I got away, and coming back from five or six games, he gave himself a few balls to just get back to batting again in his routines, and then obviously transferring that pressure onto the bowlers, and it is a dream to watch. He gets some shots that I could only have in my wildest dreams. But when he is in full flow, you know, it’s a treat that he takes the pressure off you, so I do enjoy it,” said Rickleton.
‘NO LIFE-CHANGING ADVICE’
Rickleton admitted that he hasn’t been getting any life-changing advice from Rohit, but the simple stuff like handling pressure, staying calm and understanding the game.
“[I] probably picked his [Rohit’s] brain a little bit more first year, just about batting in general, not necessarily T20 batting – Tests and 50-over batting and the specifics of the mentality around it,” Rickelton said. “I think he’s just a little different, like I said, he’s one of the greatest to play the game. And it’s never always life-changing advice that you get. It’s stuff that you’ve heard through different paths as you kind of work your way through the game.
“It’s just more how he manages pressure, how he stays calm and how he backs his ability and understands his game really well. So, it’s 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,” said Rickleton.
MI next take on RCB in Raipur in a must-win game on Sunday, May 10.
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