India captain Rohit Sharma’s future with the Mumbai Indians is under intense scrutiny as the cricket world anticipates the IPL 2025 mega auction. While the IPL council hasn’t officially announced the auction’s rules or date, rumors suggest that Mumbai may release Rohit, or he could choose to enter the auction himself. Former cricketer Aakash Chopra has weighed in, agreeing with these speculations, especially with rumors of Rohit’s link to the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
Rohit’s relationship with Mumbai reportedly deteriorated after he was unexpectedly removed as captain last December, with all-rounder Hardik Pandya named his replacement. Although Rohit never publicly addressed the decision, rumors of tension between him and Hardik hinted at a possible rift within the team.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra speculated that Rohit’s decade-long career with Mumbai, which saw five IPL title wins, may be coming to an end. “Will he stay or will he go? It’s a big question. Personally, I feel he will not stay. Whoever is retained is expected to remain for three years, unless your name is MS Dhoni. MS and CSK’s story is different, but for Rohit at MI, I think he might leave or MI might release him,” Chopra said.
He further added, “Anything can happen, but I don’t think Rohit will be retained. I feel he might be released, or he could go in the trade window. If not, we might see him in the auction. His journey with MI seems over.”
Rumors of Rohit’s potential move to LSG are strong, with the franchise reportedly interested in trading for the T20 World Cup-winning captain. However, LSG owner Sanjeev Goenka dismissed claims that INR 50 crores had been set aside for Rohit. “Tell me one thing. Does anybody know if Rohit Sharma is available for the auction? The entire rumor is baseless. We need to see if MI releases him, and if he makes himself available. Even if he does, how will you build a team with half your budget spent on one player?” Goenka said in an interview.
When asked if Rohit is part of LSG’s plans, Goenka added, “Everyone has a wishlist to have the best captain and player, but this is like ‘if wishes were horses.’ It’s not about what I want, but what you can do with the resources. Every franchise wishes for the same, but you can’t have everything.”