Veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Rohit Sharma is unlikely to part ways with the Mumbai Indians (MI) before the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auctions. He also feels that money won’t be important for Sharma at this stage of his career as well. However, ahead of IPL 2024, Hardik Pandya replaced Sharma as the captain of the Mumbai-based franchise.
Speaking in his latest YouTube video, the veteran spinner said: “In fact, even if you think like Rohit, it’s not wrong at all. I don’t want any headache. I have been a captain for India. I have captained for Mumbai many times. Even if I am not a captain, I am going to Mumbai happily. If I play for Mumbai, it’s super. I am sure most players are like that. After a stage, money doesn’t matter for some of those players. That’s the thing.”
However, Rohit Sharma was the highest run-getter for MI in IPL 2024, scoring 417 runs across 14 innings at a strike rate of 150.00. However, it was a lacklustre season for the team. They finished with winning just four out of their 14 games as well. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, Team India ended their 11-year ICC trophy drought by winning the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA this year. He recently stated that he is hungry to win more trophies for the national team.
Sharma said at the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards ceremony (via ANI): “There is a reason I won five IPL trophies. I’m not going to stop, because once you get the taste of winning games, winning Cups, you don’t want to stop and we’ll keep pushing as a team. We’ll keep striving for better things in the future.”
Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin recently opened up on former opener Shikhar Dhawan’s fun-loving nature. He shared that the southpaw’s ability to take a joke on himself is one of his greatest qualities as well. However, Dhawan announced his retirement from domestic and international cricket with immediate effect on August 24 as well.
Speaking in his latest YouTube video, Ashwin said, “Very funny guy. He doesn’t take anything personally. He is one of those few guys who can take a great joke on himself. He can make a joke about himself. That is a great quality. He will laugh at the first moment in the joke. Very, very well done, Shikhar Dhawan on a wonderful career. I wish you will be the same. Jolly old spirit, happiness. I don’t doubt that. A positive person like Shikhar. He enjoys life. He has an exuberance. At the same time, he is very smart.”
“My favourite moments of Shikhar Dhawan. He is very underrated. Virat, Rohit Sharma. Shikhar has gone under the radar. Shikhar Dhawan has been the go-to player for some top performances. 2013, the entire Champions Trophy was Shikhar Dhawan’s Trophy. One of my favorite moments. His debut Test against Australia, he scored 180 odd runs. He didn’t take part in any other Test matches. He has scored in a lot of innings. And his part at Sunrisers Hyderabad, an unsung hero of Sunrisers Hyderabad,” he concluded.
