Indian Cricket Stars Like Kohli, Sharma To Play Domestic Red-Ball Matches

The BCCI is placing increased emphasis on domestic cricket, with many top Indian players expected to participate in the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2024 season. Reports indicate that even Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been given the option to play in this prestigious red-ball tournament, which features the best players from four zones.

Although their participation remains uncertain, the involvement of stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma would significantly boost Indian domestic cricket. Over recent years, international players have often skipped domestic matches despite not being part of the national squad.

The BCCI's efforts to ensure players are available for their zone and state teams' domestic matches are commendable. Regular participation of international stars will inspire young cricketers and make them more aware of the structure and significance of Indian domestic cricket.

This initiative will help nurture future talents like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Mohammed Shami within a robust ecosystem. The rise of IPL has posed a threat to longer formats, but encouraging top players to participate in domestic matches will teach the T20 generation about the importance of first-class and List-A cricket.

Virat Kohli: November 2012

Kohli last played domestic cricket in 2012 during a Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. He scored 14 and 43 in two innings, both times dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Rohit Sharma: September 2016

Rohit Sharma's last domestic game was in the Duleep Trophy 2016 for India Blue under Gautam Gambhir's captaincy. He scored 30 runs batting at four in the first innings and an unbeaten 32 at number three in the second innings. His last appearance for Mumbai was in November 2015, where he scored 113 off 140 balls.

Jasprit Bumrah: January 2017

Bumrah's most recent domestic red-ball match was against Jharkhand in January 2017 during the Ranji Trophy. He achieved his second-best first-class figures with a haul of 6/29.

Recent Domestic Outings

KL Rahul: February 2020

KL Rahul played for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy semi-final against Bengal in February 2020. He scored 26 runs in the first innings but was dismissed for a duck in his second outing.

Mohammed Shami: November 2018

Shami is currently recovering and aims to return with the Bangladesh Tests. The Duleep Trophy could be an opportunity to test his fitness. His last red-ball domestic match was against Kerala in November 2018, where he took wickets including those of Sanju Samson, Sachin Baby, and Arun Karthik.

Other Key Players

Mohammed Siraj: February 2020

Siraj played for Hyderabad against Vidarbha in a Ranji Trophy match in February 2020, taking two wickets during the game.

Ravindra Jadeja: January 2023

Jadeja captained Saurashtra against Tamil Nadu in January 2023 while making a comeback from injury. He picked up eight wickets, including a seven-wicket haul in the second innings, and scored 40 runs with the bat.

Additional Players' Last Matches

• Ravichandran Ashwin: January 2020 - Played for Tamil Nadu against Railways in a Ranji Trophy match.
• Rishabh Pant: December 2017 - Featured for Delhi against Vidarbha in a Ranji Trophy match.

The BCCI’s push for greater involvement from top players will likely enhance interest and competition within India's domestic cricket scene. This move aims to bridge gaps between different formats and ensure that emerging talents understand and appreciate all aspects of cricket.