According to a PTI report via ‘India Today’, Team India captain Rohit Sharma has yet to confirm his availability for Mumbai’s upcoming Ranji Trophy match. The 42-time champions are set to face Jammu & Kashmir starting January 23.
While Rohit was expected to feature in the game after training with the team for a few days, he has not yet provided the selectors with a final decision. An official from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) stated that the players’ availability will be reviewed before the squad is announced on January 20.
“The selectors are expected to announce the squad on January 20, during which they will follow the due process of checking for the availability of every player. Rohit will also be approached around the time for selection,” the official said.
Rohit Sharma struggled for form during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, managing just 31 runs in five innings. His poor performances led him to step aside for the final Test in Sydney, with Jasprit Bumrah assuming captaincy duties.
Earlier, during the 2023-24 home season, Rohit averaged a mere 13.30 in 10 innings against Bangladesh and New Zealand. Overall, the 37-year-old endured a disappointing 2024 in Test cricket, scoring only 619 runs in 26 innings at an average of 24.76, with two centuries and two half-centuries to his name.
“Life isn’t dictated by what others say or write”- Rohit Sharma refutes retirement talk
Speculation about Rohit Sharma’s retirement arose when he opted out of India’s playing XI for the fifth Test against Australia. Several former cricketers believed the Melbourne Test might have been his last.
However, Rohit dismissed these rumors, expressing confidence that the situation would improve soon. Speaking to Star Sports during the Sydney Test, he stated via the ICC:
“I have seen a lot in cricket that life changes every second, every minute, every day. I have confidence in me that things can change, but at the same time I have to be realistic as well. So life won’t change by what people with a mic, pen or laptop write or say.”
“They can’t decide when we should retire, when we should sit out, when we should captain. I am a sensible man, mature man, father of two kids. So I know what I need in life,” he added.
Rohit Sharma is likely to captain Team India in the three-match ODI series against England, serving as preparation for the 2025 Champions Trophy starting next month.
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