Ashwin won't rule out Naman Dhir as future MI captain, speaks on Rohit's IPL future and Hardik's possible exit

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has said he will not rule out Naman Dhir as a future captaincy option for Mumbai Indians, while also stating that Rohit Sharma's retirement from the Indian Premier League remains far from certain. Ashwin made these observations on his YouTube channel, drawing a comparison between Rohit's situation and the extended career of MS Dhoni.

Rohit Sharma is one of the most prolific batters in IPL history, having scored 7,329 runs across 281 matches. His highest score stands at 109*, and he averages 29.91 at a strike rate of 132.92. His overall record in the tournament includes two centuries, 49 half-centuries, 661 fours and 323 sixes. Rohit began his IPL career with Deccan Chargers in 2008 before moving to Mumbai Indians in 2011, going on to win six IPL titles in total, including one with Deccan Chargers in 2009 and five with Mumbai Indians. As captain, he led Mumbai Indians to the trophy in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020, cementing his place among the most successful leaders in the tournament's history.

"We don't know if he's (Rohit) going to play only one more year or longer. The same has been said about Dhoni, and he has ended up playing for many years and will likely return as a player again next season. In the future, I won't rule out Naman Dhir also as a captaincy option in the future, looking at his clarity and unflappability," said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

What did Ashwin say about Hardik Pandya's future at Mumbai Indians?

Ashwin also addressed the captaincy situation at Mumbai Indians more broadly, suggesting that Hardik Pandya is almost certain to depart the franchise through a trade ahead of the next IPL season. He noted that MI could look to acquire a leg-spinner or an Indian left-arm pacer from Punjab Kings as part of any potential deal involving Hardik.

Hardik Pandya took over as Mumbai Indians captain in 2024 after returning from Gujarat Titans, replacing Rohit Sharma at the helm. His appointment attracted considerable scrutiny, and the team endured a difficult campaign that year, finishing last on the points table with just four wins from 14 matches. The 2025 season brought some improvement, with Mumbai Indians qualifying for the playoffs by finishing fourth in the league stage, though their campaign ended with a defeat to Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2.

The 2026 season, however, proved disappointing once again, with MI managing only four wins from their first 12 matches and eventually finishing ninth with four wins and 10 defeats. The franchise's failure to reach the playoffs for a second time in three seasons under Hardik has intensified questions around the captaincy.

"It's almost certain that he (Hardik) won't be with MI unless they try to retain him at the last moment. But I do believe he'll be traded. MI might look for a leg-spinner in the trade, and there were even talks of MI targeting an Indian left-arm pacer from PBKS for Hardik," said Ashwin.

Could Rohit Sharma return as MI captain while Hardik stays on as a player?

Ashwin also floated the possibility of Mumbai Indians bringing Rohit back as captain while retaining Hardik Pandya in the squad purely as a player. He noted that there is no like-for-like replacement available for Hardik, which makes a full trade complicated for the franchise.

The broader picture at Mumbai Indians heading into the IPL 2027 auction cycle is one of significant transition. With Hardik's captaincy tenure under scrutiny following back-to-back poor finishes in 2024 and 2026, and Rohit's own IPL future still open-ended, the franchise faces important decisions around both leadership and squad composition.