Rohit Sharma named Captain, Shreyas Iyer Omitted - Former India player raises eyebrows with Team Selection!

Former cricketer-turned-commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu has named seasoned Indian opener Rohit Sharma as the captain of his Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 Team of the Tournament.

Sidhu made the announcement via his official YouTube channel following the conclusion of the 18th edition of the IPL, which culminated on June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally lifted their maiden IPL trophy.

Sidhu praised Rohit’s leadership pedigree and champion mentality, underscoring the veteran’s decorated resume that includes five IPL titles, a T20 World Cup, and a Champions Trophy triumph. He stressed that Rohit’s return to form was a turning point for Mumbai Indians (MI), transforming their approach and competitiveness in the latter half of the tournament.

Rohit's resurgence began with a fluent 70-run knock against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 23, followed by another crucial fifty against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 1. His performances played a key role in steering MI into the IPL 2025 playoffs.

In the Eliminator against Gujarat Titans (GT) on May 30 in Mullanpur, Rohit once again rose to the occasion with a match-winning 81-run innings, guiding MI into Qualifier 2. However, the five-time champions couldn’t go past Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Ahmedabad on June 1.

Rohit wrapped up the season with 418 runs in 15 innings, striking at an impressive rate of 149.28 - yet another demonstration of his reputation as a high-impact, big-match player.

But it has come as a surprise that Sidhu didn't pick Shreyas Iyer or Hardik Pandya as captain, despite having both of them in his squad of the tournament. Pandya is the captain of MI, while Shreyas led Punjab Kings to the IPL final in his very first season as PBKS captain. Also, the IPL-winning captain Rajat Patidar was entirely absent from Sidhu's squad.

Navjot Singh Sidhu’s IPL 2025 Team of the Tournament:

Rohit Sharma (Captain), Virat Kohli, Jos Buttler, Shreyas Iyer, Nicholas Pooran, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Noor Ahmad, Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood