24 January 2025: The highly anticipated returns of India’s cricket stars to the Ranji Trophy were short-lived as Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Shubman Gill struggled to make an impact in their respective matches during the penultimate round of the tournament on Thursday.
After a decade away from the Ranji format, Rohit Sharma’s comeback for Mumbai against Jammu and Kashmir ended prematurely. The Indian skipper, aiming to regain form ahead of the Champions Trophy following a disappointing series in Australia, lasted only 19 balls. Attempting a pull shot against pacer Umar Nazir, Rohit (3) edged the ball to J&K captain Paras Dogra at mid-off.
The disappointing trend continued for Mumbai with Yashasvi Jaiswal (4), who was trapped leg-before by Auqib Nabi on a lively wicket at the BKC Ground. Champions Trophy squad member Shreyas Iyer (11) also fell cheaply, caught at mid-on by Yudhvir Singh.
While attendance at the venue was sparse, some fans from nearby offices briefly watched the game before returning to work after Rohit’s dismissal.
Elsewhere, Rishabh Pant made his first-class appearance for Delhi since the 2017-18 season but managed only 1 run off 10 balls in Rajkot. Veteran Saurashtra spinner Dharmendrasingh Jadeja dismissed him early, further frustrating fans hoping for a stronger performance.
Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, Punjab’s Shubman Gill suffered a similar fate. The opener fell for 4, caught behind off Abhilash Shetty in the fourth over against Karnataka.
The trio’s inclusion in the Ranji Trophy followed the BCCI’s directive mandating contracted players to participate in domestic cricket after India’s recent series loss in Australia. Despite the underwhelming performances, the move is seen as a step towards sharpening the players’ form ahead of international commitments.
