What if Rohit Sharma never played for Mumbai Indians – would he still be the Hitman?

Rohit Sharma is one of the most successful Indian captains of all time. India won the T20 World Cup in 2024 and the Champions Trophy in 2025 under Rohit’s guidance.

He is also the joint-most successful captain in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), having won the coveted trophy five times while captain. Aside from that, he won the title in 2009 as a player.

Would Rohit Sharma had been the legend he is without playing for Mumbai Indians?

Rohit started his IPL career at Deccan Chargers (DC) before moving to Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2011. Midway through IPL 2013, he took up captaincy and led the team to the title in that very season. MI went on to win the title four more times under his leadership – 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.

Now, if we look at Rohit’s career, he won the T20 World Cup in 2007 but did not get picked in the squad which won the ODI World Cup in 2011. He was not consistent when he started his career, batting in the middle and lower order. However, MS Dhoni was well aware of his talent and gave him several opportunities. He finally justified his talent after becoming India’s permanent opener in white-ball cricket in 2013.

Rohit played a key role in helping India win the Champions Trophy in 2013. Elevent years later, he helped India end their ICC title drought, leading them to a victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Earlier this year, his astute captaincy was pivotal in helping the Men in Blue lift the 2025 Champions Trophy.

While Rohit has several IPL records as a player and a captain, his international records speak volumes of his abilities as a cricketer. He has the most sixes in international cricket (642) and the second-most in the IPL.

Joining MI certainly made Rohit a better player. He carved his legacy in the franchise and helped them win five titles. It is not easy to lead in a high-pressure environment comprising star-studded players like Sachin Tendulkar, Kieron Pollard, and Lasith Malinga, among others. The pressure of expectations from the fans was also immense. Leading MI for several years before takin up international captaincy would have surely helped him prepare better.