India batsman Rohit Sharma made a lighthearted request to broadcasters to turn off the audio while recording him, following a recent viral clip of his conversation with Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) coaching staff member Abhishek Nayar.
The conversation, which took place after Mumbai Indians' (MI) 13th match against KKR, was misconstrued by fans who believed Sharma was discussing leaving MI after the season. The video, posted by KKR's social media team, was subsequently removed.
Days later, before MI's match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Sharma was again seen having a casual chat with teammate Dhawal Kulkarni. Noticing he was being recorded, Sharma jokingly pleaded with the broadcaster to turn off the microphone, saying, "Bhai audio band karo haan, already ek audio ne mera waat laga diya (Brother, please turn off the audio, one recording has already caused me trouble)."
Sharma has had an inconsistent season in the ongoing IPL 2024, scoring 349 runs from 13 innings with an average of 29.08 and a strike rate of 145.42, including one century. The Nagpur-born cricketer started strong, scoring 297 runs in his first seven innings. However, his form dipped in the last six matches, managing only 52 runs from 59 balls at a strike rate of 91.
MI's forgettable IPL 2024 season
The 37-year-old Sharma scored only the second hundred of his IPL career during MI's sixth match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The opening batsman struck an unbeaten 105 off 63 balls, including 11 fours and five sixes. However, his efforts were in vain as MI fell short of the 207-run target, losing by 20 runs.
MI, under new captain Hardik Pandya, have endured a disappointing season. The five-time champions have won just four of their 13 matches and sit at the bottom of the points table with eight points.
The case involves charges under sections 420, 464, 465, 467, 468, and 471 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), sections 4 and 5 of the Gambling Act, and section 66 of the IT Act. Pune Rural Police are conducting further investigations.