The Mumbai Indians (MI) have finally broken their silence on the Rohit Sharma-Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) trade buzz that’s taken social media by storm since the leadership change at the franchise, and the five-time champions have done it in style.
Moments after Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) announced former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar as their new head coach, speculation of Rohit Sharma to KKR Trade reignited once again. Fans speculated about a potential reunion between Rohit and his longtime friend and mentor at the Kolkata-based franchise. But MI’s recent X (formerly Twitter) post put those rumours to rest, timely quoting a Shah Rukh Khan classic:
“Sooraj kal bhi ughega… par (K)night mushkil hi nahi, namumkin hai.”
The post, carrying a subtle dig at KKR’s name and timing, was a clever way of shutting down any chatter of a Rohit Sharma KKR trade, reaffirming that the veteran batter was going nowhere.
The speculation gained traction because of Rohit Sharma’s great camaraderie with Abhishek Nayar, who has now taken charge at KKR, both on and off the field. Nayar recently worked with the Indian opener in shedding 11 kg of weight and refining his technique post IPL 2025.
Earlier, Rohit and Nayar had worked together for India, with Nair serving as assistant coach. Despite the brief stint, the veteran batter has acknowledged Nayar’s influence on his game.
However, Mumbai’s strong social media post has all but confirmed that a Rohit Sharma KKR trade isn’t on the table. The franchise is expected to retain the veteran opener ahead of the IPL 2026 mega auction, banking on his vast experience, leadership, and match-winning ability.
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The 38-year-old joined the Mumbai Indians during the 2011 mega auction and was handed the captaincy baton in 2013, taking over from legendary Ricky Ponting. The move transformed both his career and the franchise’s fortunes in the coming years, winning the joint-most IPL titles and scoring the most runs for the team.
However, the relationship between Rohit and MI hit a rough patch ahead of IPL 2024, when he was stripped of captaincy and replaced by Hardik Pandya, who returned from the Gujarat Titans via an all-cash deal. Reports at the time suggested that Rohit was unhappy with the decision and even considered exploring other options, sparking the first wave of a possible Rohit Sharma to KKR move.
The situation was reportedly resolved after multiple discussions between Rohit and the MI management ahead of the IPL 2025. The franchise retained him for INR 16.30 crore, reaffirming his value to the side.
Rohit, who has scored over 5800 runs for MI and won five titles for the franchise since joining the team in 2011, remains one of the most successful captains in IPL history.
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