Mumbai, Jan 14: Embattled India captain Rohit Sharma practised with the Mumbai team here on Tuesday as the side geared up for the resumption of Ranji Trophy from January 23 but there was no clarity on whether he would play for the side in its upcoming fixture.
The 37-year-old, who endured a horror run with the bat in the national team’s tour of Australia recently, took part in a morning practice session which lasted a couple of hours at the Wankhede stadium here.
“As is the process and routine owing to the gaps between tournaments, the management speaks with the players about their availability,” a Mumbai Cricket Association official said.
“Rohit will also be approached around the time of selection for the Ranji Trophy game against Jammu and Kashmir from January 23,” he added when asked about Rohit’s availability for the clash.
Rohit batted with Mumbai stalwart and his India teammate Ajinkya Rahane during the session.
His participation in the match may not be clear yet but it is learnt that Rohit will continue to practice with the team.
Kohli, Pant named among Delhi’s Ranji probables
Indian stars Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant feature among Delhi’s probables for the remainder of Ranji Trophy but their participation in the premier domestic red-ball tournament remains in doubt.
Former India veterans Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri are among many who want the current crop of players, especially the struggling Rohit and Kohli, to play red-ball cricket.
Rohit’s training with the Mumbai team on Tuesday piqued plenty of interest but it remains to be seen if he would make himself available for the next round.
There has also been intense debate around Kohli returning to Ranji Trophy to regain red ball form alongside Rohit. Kohli last played in Ranji Trophy in 2012 while Pant featured in the event last in 2017-18.
Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) naming its star players in the list of probables is the norm but their inclusion in the final squad is subject to their availability.
Gill to join Punjab team
India’s top-order batter Shubman Gill is set to join Punjab for the team’s sixth-round Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka in Bengaluru on January 23, days after a below-par show in the Test series against Australia.
Gill had scored just 93 runs from three matches in Australia at an average of 18.60, with a highest score of 31. India lost the five-match series 1-3.
During the series, head coach Gautam Gambhir had spoken about the need for senior players to show up in Ranji games if they were truly committed to red-ball cricket.
The BCCI brass has also been vocal in insisting that stars should not opt out of domestic marquee events if the international schedule allows them a window to turn up. Gill’s last Ranji Trophy appearance for Punjab was in 2022, when he played against Madhya Pradesh in the quarter-finals in Alur. (PTI)
