The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has issued a clear message to senior batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to remain part of India’s One Day International (ODI) setup; both must participate in domestic one-day tournaments.
As per a report by the Indian Express, the two players who have retired from Tests and T20 Internationals have been told to go through the domestic grind to maintain match readiness for international cricket.
Rohit confirms availability, Kohli’s status uncertain
Sources confirmed to the Indian Express that BCCI and the team management have informed both players that participation in domestic cricket is now compulsory. “The board and the team management have communicated to both of them that they will have to play domestic cricket if they want to play for India. As they both have taken retirement from the two formats, they have to play domestic cricket to be match-fit,” a board official stated.
The first chance could be a Vijay Hazare Trophy fixture on December 24. The only one-day match on the domestic calendar is between India’s ODI series against South Africa 9 (December 3-9) and New Zealand (January 11).
The report also added that Rohit Sharma has notified the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) of his availability for the tournament, whereas Virat Kohli continues to be unconfirmed. Rohit also showed interest in playing the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 trophy, commencing November 26. He has also been practising at Mumbai’s Sharad Pawar Indoor Academy.
Kohli (37) and Rohit (38) were seen in the ODI series in Australia last month, where they drove India to a series-clinching win. Rohit scored a century in the final match, whereas Kohli, after two early dismissals, continued to be unbeaten on 87.
Ajit Agarkar reiterates focus on domestic cricket
The Chairman of the selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, had earlier highlighted that all the available players should turn out for their state teams. “Whenever players are available, they should be playing domestic cricket. That’s the only way to keep yourself sharp, “ he mentioned. He further restated that the board expects even senior players to be active between international matches.
Meanwhile, in a recent development, the BCCI has made a rare scheduling change for the upcoming India-South Africa Test series. The second Test, to be played in Guwahati from November 22, will commence 30 minutes earlier than the standard time. The decision has been taken into account for the region’s early sunrise and sunset.
The first Test starts this Friday at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, where a gold-plated coin featuring the insignias of both cricket teams will be used for the toss. The Guwahati Test will mark the city’s debut as a Test venue. It has earlier hosted matches during the Women’s ODI World Cup.
