IPL 2021: Rohit Sharma bats for ‘Save the Rhino’ in Mumbai Indians’ opener

Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma got here into the limelight in his group’s IPL 2021 opener in opposition to Royal Challengers Bangalore on Friday when he wore footwear with the message “Save the Rhino”.
Rohit has taken a singular method on this 12 months’s IPL to talk up a few trigger that he has lengthy supported — the conservation of the Great One-Horned Rhinoceros.

It was particular for me to take a trigger so near my coronary heart with me on the sphere whereas I do what I really like. Every step issues. 🦏❤️ (2/2)
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) April 10, 2021
The 33-year-old swashbuckling opener launched the “Rohit4Rhinos” marketing campaign in September 2019, in partnership with WWF India and Animal Planet.
Kevin Pietersen, the previous England captain, took to Twitter and hailed the gesture saying, “The great man’s boots last night in the IPL opener. Rohit Sharma continually playing for a cause – SAVING RHINOS!”

The nice mams boots final evening within the @IPL opener. @ImRo45 frequently enjoying for a trigger – SAVING RHINOS! 🙏🏽🦏 pic.twitter.com/aGTveMOWBh
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) April 10, 2021
Of the estimated 3500 Indian rhinos left on this planet, 82% are present in India. Once discovered abundantly throughout the Indus, the Ganges, and the Brahmaputra river basins, the animal is now discovered solely in choose pockets in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.
The state animal of Assam, the Indian rhinoceros faces a number of threats, together with poaching, habitat loss, and mass mortality from inbreeding and illness.
The defending champions misplaced the IPL 2021 opener by two wickets on the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Mumbai Indians are set to face Kolkata Knight Riders subsequent on April 13.