Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra reckons Rohit Sharma has played his last match for the Mumbai Indians. In IPL 2024, Sharma was replaced by Hardik Pandya as MI’s captain. However, the team had a horrid season, finishing the cellar dwellers with only four wins in 14 matches.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma was Mumbai Indians’ top-scorer with 417 runs in 14 matches of IPL 2024 as he scored his runs at an average of 32.08 and a strike rate of 150. Rohit was at his best in the first phase of the tournament but he veered off the track in the second half.
“I think they will let Ishan Kishan go. They might use the ‘Right to Match’ card because 15.5 crores is just too much money. I don’t think Ishan will be retained. I think Rohit Sharma has played his last match for the Mumbai Indians, whether he doesn’t want to be retained or the franchise lets him go,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“Either way, I see them parting ways. I don’t think you will be seeing Rohit Sharma in the Mumbai Indians jersey again. That’s just my understanding. I might be wrong but I feel, either which way, Rohit Sharma will not be playing for the Mumbai Indians when you start the next season,” the former India opener added.
The renowned commentator picked the four players he feels would be retained by the five-time champions. Chopra feels MI will certainly retain Suryakumar Yadav and gun fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
While Yadav scored 345 runs in 11 matches at an average of 34.5 and a strike rate of 167.47, Bumrah was MI’s leading wicket-taker, with 20 scalps in 13 matches at an impressive economy rate of 6.48.
“I feel the first retention will be Suryakumar Yadav. I am not saying first or second but this team will 100% want to retain Suryakumar Yadav. The second player, I feel you want to 100% retain Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah might be the first retention and Suryakumar Yadav might be the second retention. These two players are absolutely confirmed,” he said.
Chopra added that MI will retain their skipper Hardik Pandya ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auctions. Pandya scored 216 runs in 13 innings and picked 11 wickets.
“The third, I would say Hardik Pandya. You need Hardik Pandya because it wasn’t a short-term investment. You had picked the player for long-term gain, and Hardik Pandya is an integral part of the blueprint you had made to take the team forward,” Chopra explained.
The former KKR player picked Tilak Varma as the fourth retention for Mumbai Indians. The left-hander scored 416 runs in 13 matches at an average of 41.60 and a strike rate of 149.64.
“I feel the fourth should be Tilak Varma. All four are Indians thus far. I don’t think this team will want to or will be able to retain any overseas player. They might keep Tim David by using the ‘Right to Match’ card but I don’t see anyone in the overseas contingent seeing whom you would say that you will be at a massive loss if you let him go,” he elaborated
