Indian captain Rohit Sharma is expected to join the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team’s practice session on Tuesday at the Wankhede Stadium.
The seasoned batter has resumed training at the MCA-BKC ground to prepare for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.
However, his participation in Mumbai’s next Ranji Trophy league match against Jammu & Kashmir remains uncertain.
Rohit’s potential return to the Mumbai squad aligns with the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) renewed focus on domestic cricket, particularly in the red-ball format.
This move comes in response to India’s recent Test struggles, including a disappointing series loss to Australia and their failure to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir has emphasized the critical role of domestic cricket in developing and maintaining form for national players.
“I would always like everyone to play domestic cricket. That is how much importance domestic cricket needs to be given. Not just one game, but if they are available and committed to red-ball cricket, everyone should participate. If you don’t prioritize domestic cricket, you won’t get the desired players for Test cricket,” Gambhir stated after India’s defeat in Sydney.
Rohit, who last played domestic red-ball cricket in 2015 against Uttar Pradesh, sees this as an opportunity to regain form.
His recent Test performances in Australia were disappointing, with scores of 3, 9, 10, 3, and 6 across four matches, averaging just 10.93.
“He will join the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team for practice sessions, but it’s yet to be decided if he will play the next game against J&K. He will inform the MCA in due course,” a source from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) revealed.
The BCCI has consistently encouraged players to participate in domestic cricket to refine their skills and address technical shortcomings.
In addition to Rohit, Shubman Gill, who also struggled in Australia, is set to represent Punjab in their upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka.