Ravichandran Ashwin has predicted that two of India's most prominent cricketers will transition into coaching positions after their playing careers end. The India legend believes Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will follow different timelines and approaches when moving into coaching roles, with Rohit potentially stepping into a position relatively quickly while Kohli may prefer to step away from the game for a period first.
According to Ashwin, Rohit should be given coaching duties at Mumbai Indians soon after he retires from professional cricket. Ashwin feels that Rohit, like former India coach Rahul Dravid, can take on coaching responsibilities following his retirement from the international game.
Why Rohit Sharma should join Mumbai Indians as a coach?
Ashwin believes Mumbai Indians should act quickly to secure Rohit in a coaching capacity once he decides to retire. The India legend highlighted Rohit's achievements as a captain and his value to any franchise looking to build a strong coaching structure.
"If tomorrow Rohit decides 'I won't play,' Mumbai Indians should immediately absorb him. A captain who won five titles and led India to a World Cup - you won't find such people," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
"If he doesn't want to be head coach because it's a labor-intensive role, after a one-two year break, he'll be ready to take up a role. Like Rahul (Dravid) bhai took a break and then came back to work. So I think they should immediately absorb such cricketers and not let them go. And knowing the Mumbai Indians, they won't let go of a player with Rohit Sharma's thinking capacity," he added.
Ashwin suggested that Rohit may not necessarily need to take on the demanding role of head coach immediately, but could step into a position after a brief break from the game. He drew a parallel with Rahul Dravid's career trajectory, noting that Dravid took time away before returning to work in a coaching capacity.
Rohit Sharma is currently 39 years old and is aiming for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which could ideally be his final campaign in professional cricket as a player. His transition to a coaching role would come after his retirement from the international game.
Virat Kohli's different path to coaching
Ashwin's view on Kohli's coaching future differs significantly from his assessment of Rohit. The India legend believes Kohli might prefer to have a breather after his retirement before taking on any coaching responsibilities, unlike Rohit, who Ashwin expects to step into a role relatively quickly.
"I don't think Virat will be ready to become a coach immediately. I don't know about Virat, honestly. Virat will probably want to take a break, in my opinion," Ashwin said.