Sports

Rohit Sharma May Resume MI Captaincy as Tilak Varma Eyes Deputy Role

By Gaurav Gupta

MUMBAI – Reports indicate that 39‑year‑old Rohit Sharma could return as captain of the Mumbai Indians for IPL 2027, with rising T20 star Tilak Varma potentially serving as his deputy. Sharma has led MI to all five of their IPL titles in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020. A return to the helm would preclude him from playing as an Impact Player, a role he has taken on in the past two seasons. Hardik Pandya, who took over the captaincy in 2024, is set to be traded to another franchise, and MI is reportedly in talks with three teams, with an official announcement expected soon.

On Friday, MI announced a major overhaul of its coaching staff under newly appointed head coach Kieron Pollard. Former India batter Robin Uthappa has been named batting coach, while former India fielding coach T Dilip will take charge of the fielding department. Uthappa played for MI in the inaugural IPL season in 2008, and Dilip spent nearly five years with the Indian team and is believed to share a close rapport with Sharma. MI has also reinstated two former pacers: New Zealand’s Mitchell McClenaghan as bowling coach and Dhawal Kulkarni as development bowling coach. Kulkarni, a former India and Mumbai teammate of Sharma, will focus on player development and strengthening the franchise’s talent pool.

The appointments, many of which involve staff with close links to Sharma, have intensified speculation about his return to the captaincy as MI aim to end their six‑year title drought. The franchise last won the IPL in 2020 and finished ninth in 2026. The new coaching group’s immediate task will be to finalise retentions ahead of the mini‑auction for IPL 2027, scheduled for December 16 in Goa. Pollard and his team will also need to formulate their auction strategy as MI seek to rebuild after a disappointing 2026 campaign.