Rohit Sharma Affirms Involvement in Mumbai's Next Ranji Trophy Encounter
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Synopsis
On January 18, Rohit Sharma confirmed his participation in Mumbai's upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir at the MCA-BKC ground starting January 23. This announcement comes amid discussions about international players' engagement in domestic cricket.
Key Takeaways
- Rohit Sharma will play in the upcoming Ranji Trophy match.
- The match is scheduled against Jammu and Kashmir at MCA-BKC.
- Rohit discussed the challenges of balancing international and domestic cricket.
- His last Ranji Trophy game was in November 2015.
- Ajit Agarkar highlighted the importance of domestic cricket participation.
Mumbai, Jan 18 (NationPress) India Test captain Rohit Sharma has officially announced that he will participate in Mumbai's forthcoming Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir at the MCA-BKC ground, commencing on January 23.
During a press conference regarding the squad announcement for the Champions Trophy and the England ODI series, Rohit stated, "Yes, I will."
This week, Rohit participated in a training session with Mumbai's squad at the Wankhede Stadium, which led to speculation about his involvement in the upcoming match, especially after the BCCI's directive encouraging international players to engage in domestic cricket when possible.
However, Rohit explained that the hectic international schedule limits players' opportunities to frequently participate in domestic competitions. "Our calendar rarely allows a 45-day break while cricket is ongoing. You might find some time after the IPL season if there’s a gap right after.
"But looking at our domestic season, it starts around September or October and wraps up by February-March. During this period, India also has a packed cricket schedule," Rohit mentioned.
"For players not involved in certain formats and available for domestic matches, it’s feasible for them to play. But in my case, since I began playing Test cricket regularly in 2019, time has been scarce."
Rohit's last appearance in the Ranji Trophy was in November 2015. His recent struggles in Test matches during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia have raised concerns about his position in the red-ball squad.
Meanwhile, chief selector Ajit Agarkar emphasized the importance of participating in domestic cricket whenever feasible, noting the challenges for multi-format players. "It's not a strict rule. Players should participate when they can. However, those who play all three formats often find it challenging to get enough time. Yet, you'll likely see most players in this round of the Ranji Trophy since some time has opened up," Agarkar commented.
"You expect those who are fit and available to compete," he added.
