Ashwin explains why Rohit Sharma won't take 'headache' of captaining any other IPL team and stay at Mumbai Indians

Add as a preferred source on Google

Ravichandran Ashwin has reckoned that Rohit Sharma would prefer staying at Mumbai Indians and avoid 'any headache' of captaining any other IPL team. The comments from Ashwin come amid talks about the retentions ahead of IPL 2025.

Rohit Sharma played as a pure batter in the last season after the Mumbai Indians management gave the captaincy to Hardik Pandya. The decision was heavily criticised by fans as Hardik Pandya was booed in stadiums across the country. Mumbai Indians finished at the bottom of the 10-team points table after managing to win just four matches.

However, Rohit Sharma emerged as their leading run-scorer. He scored 417 runs in 14 matches at an average of 32 and a strike rate of 150.00. He was also seen helping Hardik Pandya on many occasions.

But there is a notion that Rohit Sharma might not be retained by Mumbai Indians, or he might himself opt to move out and lead some other team. Reports had earlier emerged that Rohit was unhappy with MI's decision to remove him from captaincy. Reports of rift between Mumbai Indians players due to Hardik Pandya's captaincy appointment had also popped up.

'If I play for Mumbai, it's super'

Against all the speculations and rumours, veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has opined thatRohit Sharma was already satisfied with where he was in his career, and would just want to happily continue playing for Mumbai Indians.

"Even if you think like Rohit, it's not wrong at all. I don't want any headache. I have been a captain for India. I have captained Mumbai many times. Even if I am not a captain, I am going to Mumbai happily. If I play for Mumbai, it's super. I am sure most players are like that. After a stage, money doesn't matter for some of those players. That's the thing," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Rohit Sharma took over the Mumbai Indians captaincy from Ricky Ponting in 2013, winning the trophy five times in 10 years (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020), and reaching playoffs twice. Hardik Pandya was made the captain ahead of IPL 2024 season after a surprising last minute trade from Gujarat Titans. Rohit Sharma also led Mumbai Indians to Champions League T20 title in 2013.