Mumbai Indians’ veteran and former India captain, Rohit Sharma, expressed satisfaction with being retained as the team’s fourth pick for INR 16.30 crore, citing it as the ideal position for him since his retirement from the format. Speaking on Thursday, Rohit emphasized the importance of prioritizing active national players in retention.
“Since I’ve retired from the format, this is the perfect spot for me. The players who are in the national team should get the preference. That is what I believe in, and I’m quite happy with that,” he stated.
Having joined Mumbai Indians in 2011, Rohit has been integral to the franchise’s success, leading them to five IPL titles. Reflecting on his connection with the team and the city, he said, “I’m thrilled to be part of Mumbai Indians yet again. This is where I started my cricket career, and it’s a very special city for me.”
Acknowledging the challenges of recent seasons, Rohit expressed his commitment to turning things around with the help of his teammates. He also lauded the franchise’s commitment to building a strong core. “With Mumbai, we’ve always tried retaining the core group. Moving forward, I think we can have a good auction and create a group of players who can be match-winners for us.”
In addition to Rohit, Mumbai Indians have retained Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Tilak Varma.