April 14, 2025: During her visit to the Shri Sai Baba temple in Shirdi, Mumbai Indians (MI) owner Nita Ambani encountered an interesting interaction with one of the franchise’s fans.
The fan, excited to meet her, asked for a rather specific request: to reappoint Rohit Sharma as the captain of MI. “Madam, Madam, Rohit ko captain karo, Rohit ko captain karo,” the fan urged passionately. To this, Nita Ambani responded with a smile, “Baba ki marzi” (Sai Baba’s will), acknowledging the fan’s request in her characteristic calm manner.
The interaction comes after MI’s recent victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) on April 13, a thrilling 12-run win that was their second victory in six games. Although Rohit Sharma, the former captain, wasn’t leading the team this season, his leadership was praised after he made tactical suggestions, such as opting for a different ball to counter the dew and introducing Karn Sharma as the ‘impact player’ during the game.
However, former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, who was commentating during the match, argued that Hardik Pandya, who had made the on-field calls, should be credited for the win, especially after Karun Nair’s explosive knock of 89 runs.
After a tough season in 2024, where MI struggled under Pandya’s leadership and finished with a poor record, the franchise has still not seen the kind of form they are known for. Despite Pandya’s leadership, MI has faced several challenges in IPL 2025, having won only two out of six games so far. This season, MI is currently in seventh place on the points table, and fans are eagerly awaiting for the team to turn things around.
Rohit Sharma’s form has also been a concern this season. Despite a stellar performance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, he has only managed to score 56 runs from five IPL games, averaging 11.20, which has raised questions over his form. MI’s next match is against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 17.