While Virat Kohli’s participation for Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy is uncertain, Rohit Sharma has told Mumbai that he is available to play for his state team.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has told both Rohit and Kohli that they must complete the domestic grind in order to be considered for ODI selection, according to a recent report in the Indian Express.
Since both stalwarts have retired from Tests and Twenty20 Internationals, the Vijay Hazare Trophy would be their only domestic option to stay competitive. The BCCI anticipates that between the end of the South Africa series and the beginning of the one against New Zealand, Kohli and Rohit will play in at least three, if not four, Vijay Hazare Trophy matches.
From November 30 to December 6, India will host South Africa for a three-match ODI series. The Vijay Hazare Trophy will then start on December 24, and on January 11–18, India will play New Zealand in another three-match ODI series.
“The board and team management have conveyed to both of them that they will have to play domestic cricket if they want to play for India. As they both have retired from two formats, they have to play domestic cricket to be match-fit,” The Indian Express report quoted sources in the board as saying.
According to the report, Rohit promised the Mumbai Cricket Association that he will be prepared for the Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign and even volunteered his services for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which will begin on November 26, despite retiring from Twenty20 Internationals.
In an effort to keep Kohli prepared for the ODI duties, the BCCI would like to see him return to the domestic circuit.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli returned to India colours during the ODI series against Australia. Rohit was named Player of the Series after scoring a century and a fifty, while Kohli endured two ducks before redeeming himself in the final match with an unbeaten 87, steering India to victory with an undefeated 168-run partnership.
