With the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction looming, the future of India captain Rohit Sharma at Mumbai Indians (MI) remains uncertain. Rohit was surprisingly removed as captain by MI last season, with the franchise handing over the leadership duties to Hardik Pandya, who was traded from Gujarat Titans (GT).
All 10 IPL teams can retain up to six players ahead of the auction. However, there is no clarity whether MI will retain Rohit, or will the six-time IPL winner enter the auction for the first time in 13 years.
According to recent reports, multiple franchises are interested in acquiring Rohit, including the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). During a recent interaction with India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, a fan expressed his excitement over the possibility of having Virat Kohli and Rohit in the same team.
Reacting to the fan’s wish, Ashwin said that RCB would have to keep at least Rs 20 crore aside for Rohit at the auction table. “Agar Rohit Sharma ke liye aap jaa rahe hai to 20 crore rakhna padega (You need to keep 20 crores with yourself if you want to sign up Rohit Sharma),” Ashwin said during a discussion on his YouTube channel.
MI had traded Hardik from GT ahead of IPL 2024. However, the decision to sack Rohit as captain wasn’t welcomed by the fans. In the end, MI finished last in the 10-team points table.
With as many as 6 players allowed by the BCCI, including Right-To-Match, some tough decisions are expected to unfold in the coming months. It is the discretion of the franchise to choose its combination for Retentions and RTMs. The 6 retention/RTMs can have a maximum of 5 capped players (Indian & Overseas) and a maximum of 2 uncapped players.
Rohit, who joined MI ahead of IPL 2011, led the franchise to five IPL titles. His departure would mark a significant change for MI, who have been one of the most successful teams in IPL history.
