Five-time IPL-winning captain Rohit Sharma was replaced by Hardik Pandya as Mumbai Indians skipper before IPL 2024.
New Delhi: Rohit Sharma has been grabbing all the headlines lately with speculations are rife that the Indian captain might leave Mumbai Indians at the end of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. While Rohit is rumoured to likely join either Gujarat Titans or Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of IPL 2025, a new report revealed the former Mumbai Indians captain was approached by Delhi Capitals before IPL 2024. However, the five-time champions rejected the offer.
According to a Kolkata TV report, Sourav Ganguly, Director of Cricket at Delhi Capitals, had approached Rohit to join the side ahead of IPL 2024. But the Ambani-owned franchise didn’t leave the 36-year-old. Notably, Rohit was replaced by Hardik Pandya as the Mumbai Indians captain for IPL 2024.
Notably, Ganguly was the BCCI president when Rohit was made the Indian captain in 2021. A lot depends on the outcome of the meeting between BCCI and all the IPL team owners on April 16 set to take place in Ahmedabad. The meeting coincides with Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans match.
While nothing concrete has come out on what is the agenda of meeting, but it can be sensed that discussions on IPL 2025 mega auctions will be on the list. Among the topics likely to be addressed in the meeting is the player retentions and a potential increase in the purse. The top BCCI office bearers are expected to attend the meeting.
Had Rohit joined Delhi Capitals, he would have led the side instead of Rishabh Pant in the ongoing season. In case Rohit is being released by Mumbai Indians after IPL 2024, the likes of Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders might jump in to grab his services.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians’ decision to appoint Pandya as new captain has backfired so far. Besides the three losses on the trot, a lot of negativity has caught the Mumbai Indians camp, especially Pandya from the Rohit Sharma loyalists. The India all-rounder has been a victim of constant booing even before the season started. Such was the extent of booing, that even presenter and former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar asked the Wankhede crowd to ‘behave’ during their coin toss against Rajasthan Royals.