Rohit Sharma confirms participation in upcoming Ranji Trophy match after 10 years
Xtra Time Web Desk: Indian captain Rohit Sharma has confirmed his participation in the upcoming Ranji Trophy match between Mumbai and Jammu & Kashmir, set to be played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, from January 23 to 26. This marks Rohit’s first appearance in the domestic red-ball tournament in nearly a decade, with his last Ranji match also held at Wankhede, against Uttar Pradesh, in November 2015.
The announcement came during the Champions Trophy squad unveiling in Mumbai on Saturday. When asked about his domestic cricket plans, Rohit responded, "Yes, I will play."
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Rohit reportedly deliberated whether playing a Ranji Trophy game would be the right preparation for the white-ball Champions Trophy. However, he stated that shifting between formats has never been a challenge for him. "It's nothing new for me. I'm used to these kinds of changes because this is not happening for me now. It's been for such a long period of time because when you play all three forms, you have to adjust to all kinds of formats. Sometimes you prepare for a red ball (competition) and then suddenly there's a T20 format. There's nothing new about it," he said.
Rohit has already joined the Mumbai squad and trained with the players for a day. He is expected to continue practicing until the match begins on January 23. According to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), the final team for the Ranji clash will be announced on January 20.
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Rohit is among several Indian internationals adhering to the BCCI’s directive that players participate in domestic tournaments when not engaged in international duties. Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and Yashasvi Jaiswal have also committed to playing for their respective state teams.
Meanwhile, uncertainty looms over the participation of other senior players. Ravindra Jadeja has yet to confirm his involvement in Saurashtra’s next game against Delhi, while the Karnataka State Cricket Association awaits a response from KL Rahul regarding their match against Punjab in Bengaluru. Virat Kohli, however, is confirmed to skip Delhi's Ranji clash against Saurashtra in Rajkot.
