As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction approaches, the speculation over India captain and former Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Rohit Sharma's future with MI has been a hot discussion among fans and cricket pundits.

Following Rohit's removal as captain of the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2024, replaced by Hardik Pandya, many media reports claimed his relationship with the team has allegedly soured, ushering the star opener to consider joining a new franchise in the upcoming season.

Echoing the sentiments of many fans, former India batter Aakash Chopra predicted that Rohit might leave MI next season. The former batter said that players retained by MI generally stay with one franchise for 3 to 4 years, with the exception being Chennai Super Kings' former captain MS Dhoni.

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"Will he stay or will he go? It's a big question. Personally, I feel he will not stay. Whoever is retained will be with the thinking that he will remain with you for three years, unless your name is MS Dhoni . MS Dhoni and Chennai Super Kings ' story is very different but Rohit Sharma at MI, I feel he might himself leave or MI might leave him," he said on his YouTube channel.

"Anything can happen but I don't think Rohit is going to be retained here. I don't have any information but I feel Rohit will probably be released. He might go to someone in the trade window, that's a possibility that he doesn't go to the auction, but if that doesn't happen, he might be seen in the auction. I feel his journey with the Mumbai Indians is over," the former India opener added.

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Chopra further expressed his views on the franchise's hard-hitting batter Suryakumar Yadav's future with the Mumbai Indians, amidst rumours of a possible departure. Chopra said Suryakumar might not want to leave the five-time champions, indicating that the batter will likely stay with MI.

"What are you asking? I don't think Suryakumar Yadav will be traded. I haven't heard anything like that. The Mumbai Indians won't leave Suryakumar Yadav and I feel Surya also won't leave either," he said in the same video.

"Surya will be there. He is not going anywhere. Na, I don't think so. Surya will remain with the team. I don't know where you have read that," he added.