Ravichandran Ashwin believes Mumbai Indians do not have to choose between Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya for IPL 2027. On his YouTube channel, the former India off-spinner said MI could hand the captaincy back to Rohit and still keep Hardik.
“That is not a bad option either: bringing Rohit Sharma back as captain while retaining Hardik Pandya.”
R Ashwin, on his YouTube channel, October 15, 2026
His comments come as reports link Hardik with a move away from Mumbai, including talk of a trade to Kolkata Knight Riders.
Ashwin’s argument starts with Hardik, not Rohit.
“If I were the Mumbai Indians, I would be thinking about who could replace Hardik Pandya if I traded him.”
R Ashwin, on his YouTube channel, October 15, 2026
He added that MI have no like-for-like replacement for Hardik. In his view, a captaincy change is a way to keep the all-rounder, not to push him out.
🔴ROHIT SHARMA’S MI CAPTAINCY RETURN ISN’T A BAD OPTION 🤯
🎙️: Ashwin believes bringing Rohit Sharma back as Mumbai Indians captain could be a good option for a franchise. He explained that with the current IPL cycle coming to an end, a team could appoint Rohit as captain for one season and look for a long-term captain next year. 👀
— Sam (@cricsam02) October 15, 2026
The headline is Rohit’s return. The harder question is whether Hardik can play under the captain he replaced, and what that asks of him.
Ashwin also pointed to how the 2024 handover was handled. When Hardik took over, he was not the only one in that dressing room who wanted the job.
“Bumrah aspired to captain the side, and Surya aspired to captain the side as well.”
R Ashwin, on his YouTube channel, October 15, 2026
Insider Read
Every dressing room with a former captain in it has two centres of gravity. In a tight over, young bowlers look first at the man with the armband, then at the one who used to wear it. From 2024 to 2026, Hardik captained with Rohit as that second voice.
Rohit’s return would flip it, and the fix is simple to say and hard to do. The new captain has to hand the old one real decisions in front of the group, like the death overs, so the second voice works for the team instead of against it. If Rohit does that with Hardik.
Where Mumbai Indians Stand
Nothing is confirmed. On October 13, India Today reported that MI’s management was leaning towards restoring Rohit, and Sports Tak said he was top of the list. NDTV, citing a franchise source, reported “no internal discussions” on captaincy.
MI are reportedly open to offers for Hardik, but no formal talks have started. Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals have both been linked, while Chennai Super Kings have denied the Hardik trade rumours. Hardik has not played competitive cricket since IPL 2026 because of injuries.
| Season | MI under Hardik |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Finished last |
| 2025 | Reached playoffs |
| 2026 | 9th, 4 wins from 14 |
Rohit led MI to five titles, in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. He turns 40 during IPL 2027.
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