Ravichandran Ashwin believes Hardik Pandya could be traded away by Mumbai Indians, while also weighing in on Rohit Sharma’s future and Naman Dhir’s captaincy potential.
Key Points
- Ravichandran Ashwin believes Rohit Sharma’s IPL retirement timeline is uncertain, comparing his potential longevity to MS Dhoni’s.
- Ashwin has endorsed Naman Dhir as a strong candidate for future captaincy at Mumbai Indians, citing his clarity and composure.
- Ashwin predicts Hardik Pandya is likely to be traded from Mumbai Indians, with the franchise potentially seeking a leg-spinner or an Indian left-arm pacer.
- Hardik Pandya’s captaincy has faced scrutiny after Mumbai Indians failed to reach the playoffs in two of his three seasons as skipper.
Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has shrugged off the possibility of Mumbai Indians (MI) star batter Rohit Sharma playing his final Indian Premier League (IPL) season next year. Ashwin said the former India captain’s retirement timeline remains uncertain, drawing a parallel with legendary wicketkeeper/batter MS Dhoni’s longevity. He also backed Naman Dhir as a potential future captain, praising his clarity of thought and composure.
Rohit Sharma’s Future and Naman Dhir’s Potential
“We don’t know if he’s (Rohit) going to play only one more year or longer. The same has been said about Dhoni, and he has ended up playing for many years and will likely return as a player again next season. In the future, I won’t rule out Naman Dhir also as a captaincy option, looking at his clarity and unflappability,” Ashwin said on his YouTube Channel.
Hardik Pandya’s Likely Trade
Ashwin also believes Hardik Pandya is likely to leave Mumbai Indians through a trade, unless the franchise decides to retain him at the last moment. “It’s almost certain that he (Hardik) won’t be with MI unless they try to retain him at the last moment. But I do believe he’ll be traded. MI might look for a leg-spinner in the trade, and there were even talks of MI targeting an Indian left-arm pacer from PBKS for Hardik,” said Ashwin.
Hardik’s Captaincy Under Scrutiny
Hardik returned to MI as captain in 2024, amid much fan disappointment, with the franchise finishing last in 10th place.
In 2025, under Hardik’s leadership Mumbai Indians qualified for the playoffs after finishing fourth in the league stage, before their campaign ended with a defeat to Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2. However, in IPL 2026 they were given a reality check, with MI managing just four wins in their first 12 matches before eventually finishing ninth with four wins and 10 defeats.
The franchise’s failure to reach the playoffs for a second time in three seasons under Hardik intensified scrutiny over his captaincy and raised questions about his future as skipper.
Source: www.rediff.com
