Former England captain Michael Vaughan has taken a swipe at Mumbai Indians’ veteran opener Rohit Sharma for his underwhelming performance in IPL 2025 so far. Despite his stature in the game, Rohit has struggled to make an impact, featuring as an Impact Sub in two of MI’s three matches. His most recent outing against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium ended with just 13 runs—another disappointing score in a slow start to the season.

Rohit’s struggles go beyond just this season. He started the campaign with a duck against Chennai and followed it up with a mere eight runs against Gujarat Titans. Since 2020, the six-time IPL champion has only managed to cross 400 runs in a season twice, raising concerns about his consistency with the bat.

Vaughan, known for his blunt analysis, didn’t hold back while assessing Rohit’s form. Speaking on Cricbuzz, he pointed out that without the added responsibility of captaincy, the opener now needs to be judged solely on his batting performance.

"If your name isn't Rohit Sharma, you’re probably out of the team by now with these numbers. They're just not good enough for a player of his caliber," Vaughan remarked.

He further emphasized that while Rohit’s leadership and strategic insights had been valuable in the past, his primary job now is to deliver with the bat.

"If he were still captain, his leadership could justify his place in the XI. But now, as just a batter, he needs to step up. Mumbai needs him to fire," Vaughan added.

Rohit’s overall IPL average has dipped to 29.42 across 260 matches, with his recent numbers painting a worrying picture—just over 140 runs in his last 10 games. Despite the slump, Vaughan believes Mumbai Indians will find it difficult to drop a player of Rohit’s stature.

"I’m not saying they should drop him. But come on, get us off to a start! Find your rhythm, your flow, your mojo. For Mumbai to bounce back, their senior players need to step up," Vaughan urged.

With MI struggling to get going in IPL 2025, Rohit’s return to form could be the key to turning things around for the franchise. The question remains: Can he find his touch before it's too late?