When Rohit Sharma was dropped as Mumbai captain due to emotional outbursts
The former Indian all-rounder revealed that Rohit has been very vocal since his early days. He said that when a fielder dropped a catch or something went wrong, Rohit openly showed his frustration by throwing his cap, shouting or reacting strongly, although he is still the same Rohit Sharma.
Such behavior was unacceptable for a captain at the time. Rohit’s aggressive and emotional style did not fit that image, and he was eventually removed from Mumbai’s captaincy. Ironically, the same Rohit later evolved into one of India’s most successful and respected captains.
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The Hitman has built his own legacy by leading India to the 2024 T20 World Cup, the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy and Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles. He also established himself as one of the most dangerous openers in the formats the game has ever seen, but he now only operates in ODI cricket.
Vocal and passionate: Rohit’s early leadership style
Abhishek Nayar said on ‘The Great Indian Cricket Show’, “Everyone says Rohit Sharma is a great captain. But not many know that he has been removed from the captaincy of the Mumbai team. Because he was so expressive, people wondered if he would be able to handle the team. Because whenever someone missed a catch, he would pick up his cap and throw it away. He would shout and say something.”
So it was very new at that time. It wasn’t something that people would say was okay. At that time, people had the idea that a captain had to be very educated. He must be calm. He shouldn’t talk much. So I think there are a lot of stories. If I share them, he will kill me. Because there are many stories.”
Our generation lived cricket like no other: Nayar
Meanwhile, the current head coach of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) explained that their generation loved cricket so much that they lived and breathed the game, but now things are different.
Nayar concluded by saying, “But we used to do a lot of things. I feel like cricket has changed. But our generation was such that we lived the sport. Literally. Because even after the match was over, we wouldn’t go home. We would sit in the dressing room and talk until we were kicked out. We would talk a lot and pass the time.”
Abhishek Nayar: Everyone knows that Rohit Sharma is a great captain. But few know that he was once removed as Mumbai’s captain for being too expressive. His very vocal style was seen as new and unconventional at the time.😂🔥
pic.twitter.com/ExfOQuOBxp
— Rohan💫 (@rohann__45) February 4, 2026
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Rohit Sharma’s bond in Mumbai with Abhishek Nayar
Notably, Rohit and Abhishek share a close friendship from their days in Mumbai. Nayar has been more than a teammate for Rohit as he has trained the former Indian captain, improving his skills and staying fit. Even Rohit openly credited Nayar for refining his batting.
Rohit was recently seen in action for India in the ODI series against New Zealand at home. He will next be seen in action for Mumbai Indians in the upcoming IPL 2026.
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