IPL 2025: Rohit Sharma's Mumbai Indians' saga takes a new turn as Sachin Tendulkar jumps in between
Published - 12 Sep 2024, 11:34 AM | Updated - 12 Sep 2024, 11:44 PM
Sachin Tendulkar, Mumbai Indians' (MI) mentor, reportedly wants the franchise to retain key players, including Rohit Sharma, for the upcoming season.
Sachin Tendulkar is keen to retain Rohit Sharma amidst interest from other teams like the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for the former MI skipper.
Hardik Pandya replaced Rohit as captain of Mumbai ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
However, the transition faced backlash from fans, as many were unhappy with Rohit's removal. Hardik faced heavy trolling throughout the season, including being booed at MI's home ground.
The 37-year-old batter is one of the most successful captains in IPL history. Rohit led the Mumbai Indians to five titles in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
Legendary skipper MS Dhoni equaled Rohit's tally by leading the Chennai Super Kings to victory in the Indian Premier League 2023 season.
Sachin Tendulkar Wants Mumbai Indians To Retain Rohit Sharma
According to a report by mykhel.com, Sachin Tendulkar is interested in retaining the Mumbai Indians' core players, including Rohit, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah.
Tendulkar is committed to keeping Rohit, who has been vital in the team's past successes in the Indian Premier League.
The decision to appoint Hardik as captain has created tension within MI, particularly between him and Rohit.
The franchise made this move as part of a strategic long-term plan. Sachin Tendulkar and the Mumbai Indians' management now face the challenge of resolving these internal conflicts.
Lucknow Super Giants To Sign Rohit Sharma For IPL 2025?
A recent report from Cric Blogger suggests that LSG is interested in trading for Rohit. However, LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka dismissed reports that the franchise set aside Rs 50 crore. Goenka added that Rohit's participation in the auction depends on whether Mumbai Indians release him.
"Do you even know if Rohit Sharma is entering the auction? This is all unnecessary. It all depends on whether Mumbai Indians release Rohit Sharma or not. And even if Rohit comes to auction... if you put 50 percent of your purse on one player, how will you buy other players?" Goenka said.
"Everyone wishes to have the best captain and best players. It's not about wanting. It all depends on what you have, what is available, and what you can do with it. Every franchise will have the same desire," the LSG owner added.
Rohit Sharma was the leading run-getter for the Mumbai Indians in the most recent season. The right-handed batter scored 417 runs in 14 innings with a strike rate of 150.00. However, MI had a disappointing season, finishing at the bottom of the table with only four wins from 14 matches.
The Indian skipper has scored 6,628 runs in 257 IPL matches at an average of 29.72 and a decent strike rate of 131.14. He has scored two centuries and 43 half-centuries. The veteran cricketer is in third place on the all-time leading run-getters list in the history of the Indian Premier League.
