In a surprising move ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) season, the Mumbai Indians (MI) franchise has replaced Rohit Sharma with all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the captain. Pandya, who was traded from Gujarat Titans (GT) during the trade window, will now lead MI in the upcoming season. The decision to appoint Pandya as the leader has raised eyebrows, but MI’s official statement cites it as a move toward legacy building and staying true to the philosophy of being future-ready.
This change marks the end of the Rohit Sharma era in Mumbai Indians. The Hitman had captained the side since 2013, guiding them to a record five T20 league victories (equalling Chennai Super Kings). Rohit led MI in 158 matches, winning 87 and losing 67, with four games ending in a tie. As a batsman, Rohit is the leading run-scorer for MI, amassing 5314 runs in 207 games at an average of 29.52 and a strike rate of 129.76, including one century and 35 fifties.
With Mumbai Indians moving on from Rohit as captain, let’s explore four other IPL franchises where he could potentially lead in the near future.
1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK): Chennai Super Kings paid a heartfelt tribute to Rohit after his removal as MI captain, showcasing the camaraderie and respect between him and MS Dhoni. Rohit fans are buzzing with excitement about the possibility of him joining CSK in the next season (IPL 2025). Rohit, at 36, still has a few productive IPL seasons ahead. While Ruturaj Gaikwad is considered a potential successor to Dhoni, Rohit could step in for a couple of seasons, providing valuable experience and mentoring young talents.
2. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has been facing leadership challenges since their fallout with Australian opener David Warner. During Warner’s prime in the IPL, he led the team well, even guiding them to their only IPL victory in 2016. He played exceptionally, scoring 848 runs in that season. SRH reached the runners-up spot in 2018 and made the playoffs in 2019 and 2020.
However, the recent three seasons have been tough for SRH. Warner was replaced as captain by Kane Williamson in the middle of the 2021 season, leading to disruptions in the team. In 2022, under Williamson’s captaincy, SRH finished eighth out of 10 teams. Aiden Markram took charge in the 2023 season, but SRH had their worst performance, ending up in the last position.
What SRH needs now is a calm and effective leader to guide them in the right direction. If Rohit Sharma is available for the 2025 IPL season, it would make sense for SRH to consider him as their captain, even if it’s just for a couple of seasons. This move could be beneficial and is definitely worth a try.
3. Punjab Kings (PBKS): Similar to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Punjab Kings (PBKS) have also faced consistent challenges in the Indian Premier League (IPL). If we look at PBKS’s IPL history, it’s not been great. While they were runners-up in 2014 and semi-finalists in 2008, in all other seasons, they struggled to make it to the playoffs, which is not a positive track record.
From 2019 to 2021, they consistently finished sixth out of eight teams, albeit in the reverse order. In 2022, there was a slight improvement as the IPL expanded to 10 teams, and they finished sixth again. However, the last season saw them at the eighth position out of 10 sides. One of the reasons behind PBKS’s struggles has been the absence of an inspirational captain.
In 2023, Shikhar Dhawan led the team. Before him, Mayank Agarwal captained in 2022, and KL Rahul led for a couple of seasons. Earlier, seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also had a stint as captain. Despite having big names at the helm, most lacked leadership experience at the top level. To change their luck, Punjab could consider bringing in Rohit Sharma as captain for a couple of seasons, hoping to turn around their fortunes.
4. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): What if Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli played for the same IPL team? That would be quite a spectacular move. Recently, Virat Kohli stepped down as captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), and the experienced South African batsman Faf du Plessis took over for the last two seasons. Despite his efforts, RCB’s dream of winning the IPL title is still unrealized.
Du Plessis is a proven leader in both franchise and international cricket. However, he’s turning 40 next year, and RCB might be thinking about a new captain for the upcoming 2025 edition. One interesting possibility is bringing in Rohit Sharma as the leader. They could see if Rohit’s successful track record, like turning Mumbai Indians’ fortunes around, could work its magic for RCB.
Just imagine Rohit and Kohli not just playing together but also lifting the IPL trophy for the same team. That would be an extraordinary moment for fans of both these cricket superstars.
Rohit Sharma’s captaincy journey with Mumbai Indians has taken a surprising turn, opening up possibilities for him to lead other IPL franchises. Whether it’s bringing stability to Sunrisers Hyderabad, turning around Punjab Kings’ fortunes, or joining forces with Virat Kohli at Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rohit’s leadership could reshape the dynamics of these teams in the seasons to come. The IPL landscape is evolving, and fans eagerly await the unfolding chapters of Rohit Sharma’s captaincy saga in the league.