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October 10, 2024
Indian men’s cricket team captain Rohit Sharma has been with the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL since 2011 and has successfully led the team to five IPL titles. He became the captain midway through the 2013 season and continued in this role until the end of the 2023 season. Under his leadership, MI secured championships in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
At 37, Rohit was unexpectedly replaced as MI captain last year, sparking rumors about his departure from the team. In the IPL 2024 season, he was the top scorer for MI, leading many to believe it might be his last season with the franchise. Several reports indicate that MI will not retain him, and amid the speculation, many former players and fans are calling for him to join Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL 2025 mega auction, hoping he will take on the captaincy there.
In response to rumors about Rohit Sharma potentially joining Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for IPL 2025, former South African cricketer and legendary batter AB de Villiers shared his thoughts during a Q&A session on his YouTube channel. He stated that if Rohit does make the switch to RCB, it would be an even bigger story than Hardik Pandya’s recent move to the Mumbai Indians (MI) from Gujarat Titans in an all-cash trade deal.
“I almost laughed at the Rohit comment. That will be quite a story if Rohit moves from Mumbai Indians to RCB. Wow! Imagine the headlines. It will be bigger than Hardik Pandya’s move. He moved from the Gujarat Titans back to Mumbai, which although wasn’t a big surprise. But if Rohit moves from Mumbai to join his rivals in RCB…oh my god!” De Villiers said during a live Q&A session on YouTube.
He, however, doesn’t think that it is going to happen.
“I don’t think there is an option there. I don’t see a possibility of MI leaving Rohit. I will give that zero or 0.1 percent chance,” he added.
De Villiers also expressed his support for Faf du Plessis to maintain his connection with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and continue leading the team in the 2025 edition of the IPL. Faf, who joined RCB during the IPL 2022 mega auction, is currently 40 years old, leading some fans to speculate that RCB might release him.
“Age is just a number, guys. I don’t see why his turning 40 would be an issue. He has been there for a few seasons, and the players are used to him. I understand there has been pressure on him because he hasn’t won the trophy for RCB, but he has been exceptional as a player. I think Virat will back him with all his experience,” he added.
Read More: MS Dhoni’s Participation ‘Still Not Final’ For IPL 2025
The mega auction for the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is expected to be held in Saudi Arabia later this year. According to a report from Cricbuzz on October 5, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering hosting the two-day auction in either Riyadh or Jeddah. However, no official decision has been made regarding the venue yet. Dubai, which hosted the IPL 2024 auction, is also a potential location but is currently not the top choice. The IPL 2025 mega auction is anticipated to take place in the last week of November.
“Finding a suitable venue or hotel has proven challenging for the BCCI so far. Although pricing shouldn’t be a significant factor for the franchise owners of the Indian Premier League (IPL), one of the richest leagues in the world, and the BCCI, arguably the richest sports body, identifying a venue in Saudi Arabia has been particularly difficult. The costs in Saudi Arabia are reportedly much higher than in Dubai, where the previous auction, in December 2023, was held,” the Cricbuzz report read.
“As previously reported, London was initially shortlisted, but the BCCI decided against holding the auction in the UK due to the cold weather at this time of year. The BCCI and IPL officials are now looking for a place which can host the auction for two days and accommodate the entire IPL entourage, including the 10 franchise delegations and a large entourage involving two broadcasters—Jio and Disney Star,” it added.
The IPL 2024 auction took place at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai on December 19, 2024, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the 2025 mega auction is held in Saudi Arabia.
Last month, the BCCI announced the retention rules for IPL 2025. Under these rules, each of the 10 franchises can retain up to six players from their IPL 2024 squad. Importantly, one of those retained players must be an uncapped Indian cricketer. Additionally, any Indian player who has not participated in international cricket for over five years will also be classified as ‘uncapped’ and can be retained for a price of ₹4 crore.
Check out: 6 Players SRH Should Retain Ahead Of IPL 2025 Mega Auctions
Former Sunrisers Hyderabad head coach Tom Moody has praised the BCCI’s decision to reintroduce the uncapped player rule. This rule allows an Indian player who hasn’t played any international matches in the last five years to be retained as an uncapped player for ₹4 crore. Following the BCCI’s announcement of the IPL 2025 player retention rules last month, it became evident that the Chennai Super Kings could retain MS Dhoni at a low cost.
Many fans and cricket experts believe this rule was designed to give Dhoni the opportunity to play for one more season in the lucrative league. When discussing the new uncapped player rule on an ESPNCricinfo show, Moody expressed his support for the decision, stating, “I think it’s a great rule. I think it allows, if you are good enough and you have got longevity, it allows a player to continue to play on the big stage and perform and have some sort of role; without them, I suppose, you are making it difficult, from a price perspective, to retain those players because they might be the identity, or in Dhoni’s case, certainly he is the identity of CSK. So, I don’t think that’s an issue at all. I think the longer the likes of iconic players like Dhoni can play in the IPL and can physically deliver like he has been, it’s good for the tournament.”
The former Australian cricketer, who has also been the head coach of the Sri Lankan men’s cricket team, suggested that the five-year eligibility rule for uncapped players could be reduced to three years.
“I personally think five years is a long time; I would like to see it as a three-year window. Once a player has played his last international game, I think if you are out of international cricket or you haven’t been considered to play for India over that three-year window, you should be given the right of passage to be able to come in at that four-crow level,” he added.
Although the BCCI has provided the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with the option to retain MS Dhoni at a low cost, it remains uncertain whether the former Indian captain will participate in the IPL next year. According to a report by Cricbuzz on Saturday, Dhoni has not yet confirmed his plans for IPL 2025 and is expected to communicate his decision to CSK officials later this month.
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Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for IPLWin365 (IPL365 News), she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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