Mumbai, October 30, 2025 – In a swift move that has sent ripples through the Indian Premier League (IPL) fandom, the Mumbai Indians (MI) have reaffirmed their commitment to star player Rohit Sharma, quashing rumors of a potential trade to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The announcement came mere minutes after the franchise welcomed back Mahela Jayawardene as their head coach for the upcoming IPL 2026 season, replacing Mark Boucher.
The whirlwind of speculation began earlier this week when KKR extended a congratulatory message to Sharma on social media after he secured the No. 1 ODI batter ranking in the ICC. This seemingly innocuous gesture ignited a firestorm of rumors, fueled further by reports that Abhishek Nayar, who is considered to have played a significant role in shaping Sharma's career, was set to take over as KKR's head coach.
However, Mumbai Indians wasted no time in dispelling the chatter. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), MI seemingly took a dig at KKR, stating, "Sun will rise tomorrow again, yeh toh confirm hai — but at (K)night… mushkil hi nahin, namumkin hai!". The post, referencing a famous dialogue from a Shah Rukh Khan movie, made it clear that the prospect of Sharma joining KKR was next to impossible.
Sharma has been an integral part of the Mumbai Indians since 2011 and captained the team from 2013 to 2023. Under his leadership, MI clinched five IPL titles (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020), establishing him as one of the most successful captains in the league's history, a record he shares with MS Dhoni. While Hardik Pandya captains the team currently, Sharma's contributions to the team are undeniable. In IPL 2025, Sharma scored 418 runs in 15 matches with a strike rate of 149.28. He is also the third-highest run-scorer in the history of the tournament.
The return of Mahela Jayawardene as head coach is also a significant development for Mumbai Indians. Jayawardene previously served as the head coach from 2017 to 2022, during which MI won three IPL titles. After a disappointing season in 2024, where MI finished at the bottom of the points table, the franchise will look to Jayawardene's experience to guide them back to glory. His first task will be to finalize the team's retentions ahead of the mega auction for IPL 2026.
Looking ahead, Mumbai Indians are reportedly also considering bringing back Ishan Kishan, who played for the franchise until IPL 2024. With Sharma nearing the final phase of his IPL career, MI views Kishan as a strong candidate to fill the void in the coming seasons.
For now, however, Mumbai Indians fans can rest easy knowing that Rohit Sharma is set to continue his journey with the team. The franchise has made it clear that he remains an essential part of their plans, and they are determined to keep him in the MI family.
