Mumbai Indians to make Rohit Sharma captain in 2027; Hardik Pandya's future uncertain
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Mumbai Indians to make Rohit Sharma captain in 2027; Hardik Pandya's future uncertain

Significant news has emerged regarding the Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2027. The five-time champion Mumbai Indians, who have been struggling with poor performance and leadership disputes, are preparing for the return of their most successful captain, Rohit Sharma.

According to sources, the franchise's top management has decided to hand over the captaincy back to Rohit Sharma for the 2027 season. Under his captaincy, Rohit Sharma led the Mumbai Indians to a total of five IPL titles in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.

However, Hardik Pandya was suddenly given the captaincy after returning from Gujarat Titans just before the 2024 season. The team's performance under Hardik's leadership did not meet expectations; the team finished at the bottom in 2024, and despite reaching the playoffs in 2025, Mumbai could not secure the trophy.

Additionally, questions were being raised about the dressing room atmosphere, coordination among players, and team spirit. Mumbai management wants to rely on Rohit's experience and his record of five trophies to bring stability back to the team, even with options like Suryakumar Yadav and young Tilak Varma available.

With the news of Rohit's return to captaincy, speculation surrounding Hardik Pandya's future has intensified. There are discussions that Hardik might be traded to another franchise, with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) emerging as major contenders.

It is also being discussed that talks were underway between Mumbai and Rajasthan to bring Yashasvi Jaiswal to Mumbai in exchange for Hardik Pandya. Considering Rohit Sharma's age, the Mumbai team wants to include Yashasvi as a future explosive Indian opener. However, this trade deal has not been officially confirmed yet.

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Yuvraj Singh appointed as assistant and batting coach for Delhi Capitals for the new IPL season
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Yuvraj Singh appointed as assistant and batting coach for Delhi Capitals for the new IPL season

Former explosive all-rounder of the Indian team Yuvraj Singh has started a new chapter in his coaching career. For the new IPL season, Yuvraj Singh has been appointed as an assistant and batting coach for the Delhi Capitals team.

With this appointment, the old duo with Saurabh Ganguly will be back on the field. Although Yuvraj Singh previously played for Delhi, this time he joins the team in a new role. Yuvraj Singh, who was a hero of India's victories in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup, is starting his coaching career in the IPL with this franchise. Yuvraj has long-standing ties with the Delhi franchise.

Previously, in 2015, Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils) acquired Yuvraj Singh for a record 16 crore. After such a high price, he became the most expensive player in IPL history.

Expressing joy about this new position, Yuvraj stated that he is very excited about starting a new chapter in his life with Delhi Capitals. He noted that he has long-standing connections with the franchise and knows the owners well, which makes this opportunity special. He also added that he looks forward to working as a coach alongside Dada (Saurabh Ganguly).

Despite this being Yuvraj's first experience as a coach in any franchise, he has recently mentored several young and rising Indian batsmen, such as Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill. His interaction with Abhishek Sharma, who gained particular fame in the T20 format due to his aggressive playing style, was particularly noticeable.

The Delhi Capitals team has not won any IPL titles yet, and after becoming runners-up in 2020, the team aims to win the trophy in the upcoming season. The addition of Yuvraj Singh to the coaching staff, following Saurabh Ganguly's appointment as head coach, is considered a significant step for the team.

Rohit Sharma joins the club of players with 12 thousand ODI runs, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's record
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Rohit Sharma joins the club of players with 12 thousand ODI runs, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's record

During the second ODI match against West Indies in Guwahati, Rohit Sharma set several significant records. Chasing the target of 405 runs, Sharma reached the mark of 12,000 ODI runs, thereby breaking Sachin Tendulkar's record.

This milestone was achieved by him in his 282nd game. Because of this, he became the second fastest player in the world to reach 12,000 ODI runs. Previously, Virat Kohli had surpassed this benchmark, doing so in 242 games, and Sachin Tendulkar reached this figure in 300 games.

Currently, Rohit has only 12,028 runs in 282 games played across 290 matches. Thus, Rohit became the third Indian player to accumulate 12,000 ODI runs, following Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

After achieving this feat, Rohit continued to play aggressively against West Indies, scoring his 101st strike for 72 balls. This marked his thirty-fifth century in ODIs. However, his innings ended immediately after reaching this result when Jaden Silas dismissed him via LBW. He scored 101 runs off 75 balls.

Rohit provided the team with a strong start alongside captain Shubman Gill, completing a half-century in 38 balls and accelerating the chase for 405/7 from West Indies.

It is worth noting that in the first ODI played in Tiruvannanthapuram, Rohit scored only 32 runs. His performance in Guwahati was a contrast. In 2026, his form in ODIs attracts attention. Before this match, he had scored 411 runs in 10 ODIs, with an average of 41.10. Among these matches was the game against England at Lord's, where he scored 138 runs. After retiring from Tests and T20 Internationals, Rohit is focusing exclusively on ODIs, and his current form is important for the Indian team ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

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