Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra said that the Mumbai Indians (MI) won’t retain Rohit Sharma ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. He also feels that Rohit might himself not want to be retained or the franchise might release him as well. However, MI traded in Hardik Pandya from the Gujarat Titans (GT) before the IPL 2024 auction and made him their skipper, replacing Rohit, their five-time IPL-winning captain.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “Will he stay or will he go? It’s a big question. Personally, I feel he will not stay. Whoever is retained will be with the thinking that he will remain with you for three years, unless your name is MS Dhoni. MS Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings’ story is very different but Rohit Sharma at MI, I feel he might himself leave or MI might leave him.”

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“Anything can happen but I don’t think Rohit is going to be retained here. I don’t have any information but I feel Rohit will probably be released. He might go to someone in the trade window, that’s a possibility that he doesn’t go to the auction, but if that doesn’t happen, he might be seen in the auction. I feel his journey with the Mumbai Indians is over,” the former India opener further added.

However, the Mumbai Indians finished last in IPL 2024 despite having a strong squad. The sudden change in captaincy was potentially one of the factors behind their poor show. On the other hand, Aakash Chopra opined on whether the Mumbai Indians would trade Suryakumar Yadav.

“What are you asking? I don’t think Suryakumar Yadav will be traded. I haven’t heard anything like that. The Mumbai Indians won’t leave Suryakumar Yadav and I feel Surya also won’t leave either. Surya will be there. He is not going anywhere. Na, I don’t think so. Surya will remain with the team. I don’t know where you have read that,” Aakash Chopra concluded.