IPL 2025: 3 Reasons Why MI Retained Rohit Sharma
![Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1730552981306_rohit_pandya.jpg?im=Resize=(650,450))
Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]
The IPL 2025 retentions have taken over the cricketing world for the past few weeks. The anticipation and craze over the future of their favourite players had the fans in a frenzy. On October 31, the teams announced their retention lists for IPL 2025, and with that came a few surprises.
One man who commands a huge following and was one of the hot topics ahead of the retention deadline was Rohit Sharma. The surprise trade of Hardik Pandya and handing him over the captaincy ahead of IPL 2023 left the fans shocked, and rumours about Rohit’s MI future arose.
There were many rumours about the star Indian batter leaving MI and donning a new jersey for IPL 205. However, as MI released their retention list with their Big Four in it, the rumours were put to rest. Rohit stays an MI player. While there were so many discussions about him having a riff with the MI management and them letting him go, this was a surprise to a few.
Let us examine this move by the Mumbai Indians and find out exactly why they retained Rohit Sharma.
Before moving on, here are Rohit Sharma’s numbers for MI in IPL.
Rohit Sharma’s MI Career
| Matches | Runs | Avg | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 212 | 5,458 | 5,458 | 131.08 |
Experience
Rohit Sharma has been playing cricket at the highest level for 17 years now. He has been a part of the IPL since the league's inception. Besides, as a captain, Rohit now has a T20 World Cup under his belt. These things speak of the truckload of experience the man brings to the table. Sharma’s presence will be of great importance to the team as they aim to bring back the legacy of the franchise. With Hardik Pandya leading the team, Sharma can provide him with valuable insights and advice in pressure situations and help him manage the team better.
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Intent
![Rohit Sharma's strike rate in the last three IPL seasons [Courtesy: Data Wrapper]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1730553664884_rohit.jpg?im=Resize=(650,450))
Rohit Sharma's strike rate in the last three IPL seasons [Courtesy: Data Wrapper]
In the recent past, Rohit Sharma has shown a change in his batting approach. Instead of trying to find a gradual rhythm in his knock, Sharma now looks to take the attack on the opposition from the very beginning. The figure shows us that in the last three seasons, his SR has only improved. The presence of an experienced, aggressive opener can give MI a huge advantage during the upcoming season.
Chemistry
Rohit Sharma’s presence in the MI set-up has worked wonders for them over the years. He has led them to five IPL titles and has been the architect of the legacy that the franchise has built. Rohit is probably the most well-acquainted person with the team culture and how the franchise works. As Mumbai Indians try to re-establish their dominance in the league, Rohit’s presence in the dressing room will be crucial to building a well-oiled machine and grooming the new set of recruits for the MI ways.
Conclusion
When it comes to IPL, brand value becomes a big part of the team-building process. Rohit Sharma has been the face of Mumbai Indians since their domination started in the league. His presence magnifies the brand value of the franchise. Given the experience, ability, and skills he brings to the table, the fact that he is the face of the franchise has definitely gone a long way in his retention for IPL 2025.
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