Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has suggested that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma could eventually explore coaching or mentoring roles after their playing careers, although he believes the two batting greats may take different paths. With Indian men’s cricket experiencing a relatively quiet period following the ODI series against England, discussions around the future roles of senior players have become one of the talking points.

Ashwin, who has expressed his own ambition to become a coach, was asked about the possibility of Kohli and Rohit moving into coaching after retirement. Ravichandra Ashwin feels Kohli may not be ready to enter coaching immediately. Instead, he expects the former India captain to take some time away from the game before deciding his next move. “I don’t think Virat will be ready to become a coach immediately,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

According to Ashwin, Rohit could have a natural opportunity with the Mumbai Indians once he decides to end his playing career. The 39-year-old has already retired from Test and T20I cricket and remains in the latter stages of his career.

ALSO READ: Harbhajan Singh Opens Up On Future Role in Indian Cricket

Ravichandran Ashwin believes Mumbai Indians should make every effort to retain Rohit’s cricketing knowledge and leadership experience within the franchise, regardless of when he stops playing. “If tomorrow Rohit decides ‘I won’t play,’ Mumbai Indians should immediately absorb him,” Ashwin said.

Rohit has led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles and was also at the helm when India ended a long wait for an ICC trophy. Ashwin believes a player with that level of tactical experience should not simply disappear from the cricketing system after retirement.

He suggested that Rohit may not necessarily need to become a head coach immediately, given the demanding nature of the role. Instead, positions such as mentor, director of cricket or high-performance director could allow him to contribute without taking on the workload associated with full-time coaching.

Ravichandran Ashwin also predicted that franchise cricket will continue to expand, creating more opportunities for former international players in specialist leadership roles. Successful cricketers could increasingly move into positions where their tactical knowledge, leadership experience, and understanding of the game can benefit teams off the field.

ALSO READ: Dale Steyn Open To CSK Coach Role After Stephen Fleming’s Exit

He also drew a comparison with Rahul Dravid, who took time away from cricket before returning to a coaching role. For Ashwin, the priority should be ensuring that experienced players such as Rohit remain connected to the game. He believes Mumbai Indians, in particular, would benefit enormously from retaining the knowledge of a player who has already proved himself as both an elite batter and a successful captain.