As the mega auction for Indian Premier League (IPL) is around the corner, the future of Indian captain Rohit Sharma with Mumbai Indians (MI) is still uncertain. Last season, MI removed Rohit from the captaincy position and appointed Hardik Pandya, who was acquired from Gujarat Titans (GT), as a new captain. Prior to the auction, all the 10 IPL franchises have the option of retaining a maximum of six players. Nevertheless, it is not clear whether MI will keep Rohit for themselves or for the first time in 13 years, the six-time IPL champion will be up for grabs.
There are reports which suggest that several franchises including Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are planning to sign in Rohit.
Recently, a fan talked with Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, about how thrilled he would be to see two players, Virat Kohli and Rohit, play for the same team.
When the fan’s wish was appreciated, Ashwin replied that the franchise, RCB, would need to set aside a budget of Rs 20 crore for Rohit at the auction.
“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, fans did not agree with the move to remove Rohit as a player who leads the team.
In the final analysis, MI was at the bottom of the points table of all of the 10 teams.
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.
The choice of Retentions and RTMs combinations is the prerogative of the franchise. Out of the 6 retention/RTMs, a maximum of 5 capped players (Indian & Overseas) and up to 2 uncapped players are allowed.
Rohit, who has been with MI since the beginning of IPL 2011, is the only IPL captain who has won the franchise five IPL titles.
