Virender Sehwag, known for his outspoken personality, has cast doubt on the future of Rohit Sharma with the Mumbai Indians (MI) side from Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season.
Virender Sehwag: Performance matters
During a recent discussion with Cricbuzz, Virender Sehwag emphasized the importance of consistent performance over established names. “Look at these big names… they all have to perform,” he stated on Cricbuzz, using the analogy of casting big stars in a movie not guaranteeing success.
“If you get Shahrukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan for one movie, it doesn’t mean it will be a hit film. You have to perform. There has to be something in the script. Look at these big names…they all have to perform. Rohit scored one hundred and it was in a losing cause. In the remaining matches, when did he perform? Ishan Kishan has not gone beyond the powerplay the entire season. So the only two players who are certain are Bumrah and Suryakumar. If they have a third and a fourth, we’ll see,” he said.
Sehwag suggested that only Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav had secured their spots for the upcoming mega auction, raising questions about the retention of other big names, including Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya.
Rohit Sharma underwhelming IPL 2024
Rohit Sharma IPL 2024 performance has been a concern. Despite scoring a single century, his overall tally remains at a modest 330 runs across 12 matches.
Cryptic video fuels speculation
Social media has been abuzz with a video snippet featuring Rohit Sharma interacting with KKR assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. While the background noise drowns out most of the conversation, fans have speculated about its meaning.
Some claim Rohit expresses his deep connection to MI, calling it a “second home” and a “temple” he built. Others interpret a line about this being his “last” as a potential hint at his departure from MI captaincy. The lack of context and the video’s subsequent removal by KKR only add to the speculation.
Longstanding Friendship: Rohit Sharma and Abhishek Nayar
It’s important to note that Rohit and Abhishek Nayar share a close bond, dating back to their Mumbai domestic cricket days. Nayar is also credited with playing a crucial role in Rohit’s national team comeback after the 2011 World Cup snub.
Uncertain IPL future for hitman
With the mega auction looming, Rohit Sharma’s future with the Mumbai Indians remains shrouded in uncertainty. Sehwag’s comments highlight the importance of performance, while the cryptic video adds another layer of intrigue to the ongoing saga.
