New Delhi: Rohit Sharma will play in a Ranji Trophy match for Mumbai against Jammu & Kashmir at the BKC Ground on January 23. The 37-year-old has been added to the Mumbai squad, along with fellow Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Rohit will take part in the practice session with the squad and the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy will see a historic game of Ranji Trophy. During the proceedings, Rohit will also enter an elite list because he will be the first Test captain after Anil Kumble to appear in a Ranji Trophy game in the last 17 years.
Kumble represented Karnataka in a Ranji Trophy game against Himachal Pradesh in 2007 and former Indian head coach Rahul Dravid also played his part in the game. Virat Kohli will also return to the domestic format as the Indian star is scheduled to play for Delhi against Railways which will start on January 30. Rishabh Pant has also made himself available for Delhi’s next game against Saurashtra and is expected to play an important role.
It comes following BCCI mandating a minimum of cricket in domestic games if cricketers wish to keep their elbow sharp to get themselves considered for international teams. However earlier in his speech during the media interaction, Rohit said, “International schedule so congested that players are barely left to participate in first class matches.
As quoted by ESPN he said, “[In the] last six-seven years, if you go back and see our calendar, there hasn’t been a time where we were sitting at home for 45 days and there is cricket going on.
“You do get that time when you finish the IPL and if there’s nothing happening right after that. But if you see our domestic season, it starts in October – maybe September – and it gets over by February-March. And that is the time India plays a lot of [international] cricket as well. So, guys who are not playing certain formats and have time, and then there is domestic cricket happening, then they will play.”
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