MUMBAI, Jan 18: India captain Rohit Sharma has confirmed his availability for Mumbai’s next Ranji Trophy clash against Jammu and Kashmir, scheduled to begin on January 23 at the MCA-BKC Ground. Speaking at a press conference held at the BCCI headquarters, Rohit underlined the importance of balancing domestic commitments with the demands of an intense international calendar.
Addressing questions about the participation of star players in domestic cricket, Rohit stated, “No player takes the premier domestic red-ball tournament for granted.” Reflecting on the hectic schedules faced by cricketers, he added, “In the last 6-7 years, we’ve rarely had 45 days at home when cricket is ongoing. You get some time after the IPL, but it’s a short window.”
He further emphasized the challenges of playing across formats. “Our domestic season runs from October to March. For players who aren’t involved in all formats, there are opportunities to feature in domestic cricket. Personally, since I started playing Test cricket regularly in 2019, it’s been tough to find time to participate. When you’re constantly playing international cricket, you need breaks to refresh.”
Rohit, 37, who recently dismissed speculation about Test retirement despite managing only one fifty in his last 15 innings, joined Mumbai’s training session at the Wankhede Stadium earlier this week. His participation comes ahead of the Ranji Trophy’s second phase, where Mumbai is looking to strengthen their campaign.
Notably, Rohit was dropped from the final Test against Australia in Sydney due to a prolonged dip in form, struggling both as an opener and in the middle order. However, his focus now remains on contributing to Mumbai’s Ranji campaign, signaling a commitment to his roots in domestic cricket.
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