Rohit Sharma confirms first Ranji Trophy appearance in 10 years in Mumbai vs J&K match

Rohit’s last Ranji appearance was in November 2015 against Uttar Pradesh at the Wankhede Stadium. With the BCCI mandating all players to perform in domestic cricket when available, Rohit also explained the reasons behind his prolonged absence from the circuit.

“Last 6-7 years if you go back and watch our calendar, there hasn’t been a time where I’m sitting at home for days and there is cricket going on. You do get that time when you finish IPL and there’s nothing happening right after that, but if you see our domestic season, it starts in September and it gets over by February, March, and that is the time India plays a lot of cricket as well,” Rohit said in the press conference.

“So guys who are not playing certain formats and have time and then there is domestic cricket happening, then they will play, but the last 6-7 years, I can at least tell about what has happened with me since I’ve started playing Test cricket regularly, which is from 2019. You hardly have any time. And then when you play so much cricket, international cricket through the year, you need some time off as well as a cricketer just to refresh, get your mind right, just to be ready for the upcoming season,” Rohit said.

“We’ve addressed it now, and nobody, nobody takes it for granted. It is just based on looking at how one has gone through the season, how much rest he needs, based on all of that we decide what is going to happen with certain players. And then obviously now it’s been made mandatory that if there is time, you have to play domestic cricket,” Rohit added.

Besides Rohit, India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal will also be available for selection in the match that will be crucial for Mumbai’s knockout chances.

On Tuesday, Rohit had turned up for practice in the Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy camp before the red-ball tournament resumes on January 23. The 37-year-old Rohit was later seen practising with his Mumbai Indians teammates, inclduing captain Hardik Pandya, at the Reliance Corporate Park in Navi Mumbai.

Despite his horrendous Test run ended with only 31 runs in five innings in Australia, Rohit would hope it will not hamper the supreme white-ball touch he has built over the last three years. Rohit led India’s batting machinery at the home ODI World Cup, slamming 597 runs with a strike-rate in excess of 120. The Indian captain was also a key performer during India’s T20 World Cup in the Americas last year.