India’s top cricketers, including Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant, endured a forgettable return to the Ranji Trophy, with all of them failing to make an impact. The experienced and emerging stars were dismissed for single-digit scores during their respective matches in the sixth round of the prestigious domestic competition.
Rohit Sharma’s Tough Outing
Playing his first Ranji Trophy match in almost a decade, India captain Rohit Sharma could manage only 3 runs off 19 balls in Mumbai’s Elite Group A clash against Jammu and Kashmir at the BKC Ground in Mumbai. Facing J&K pacers Auqib Nabi and Umar Nazir, Rohit looked far from his usual fluent self.
After getting off the mark in the opening over with a single off Nabi, Rohit struggled to cope with Nazir’s accuracy. Nazir consistently troubled the Indian captain with his precise line and length, even hitting Rohit on the arm with a delivery that bounced awkwardly from a good length.
In an attempt to disrupt Nazir’s rhythm, Rohit tried advancing down the pitch but failed to assert control. In the sixth over, Nazir bowled a short and wide delivery that Rohit attempted to pull, but the ball climbed on him. As a result, he mistimed the shot, lobbing it to mid-off for a soft dismissal, reminiscent of his struggles against Pat Cummins in the Melbourne Test.
Jaiswal’s Early Exit
Before Rohit’s dismissal, J&K’s leading wicket-taker of the season, Auqib Nabi, struck early by removing opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for just 5 runs off 8 balls. Jaiswal, who had started with an elegant square cut for his first boundary, was trapped leg-before by a delivery that jagged back in from a good length. The young left-hander’s back-footed approach proved costly against a ball that demanded a forward stride.
Shubman Gill Fails to Impress
In the match between Karnataka and Punjab at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Shubman Gill also had a disappointing return to Ranji cricket. Playing for Punjab after a gap of over two years, Gill was dismissed for just 4 runs off 8 deliveries. His early exit added to Punjab’s woes in their tough contest against Karnataka.
Rishabh Pant’s Poor Start
Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant had an equally forgettable outing in Delhi’s clash against Saurashtra in Rajkot. The wicketkeeper-batter could score only 1 run off 10 balls before being dismissed, rounding off a dismal day for India’s international stars in domestic cricket.
A Day to Forget for Indian Superstars
The sixth round of the Ranji Trophy turned out to be a tough challenge for Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant, as they failed to live up to expectations on their respective returns. While the tournament continues to provide valuable match practice for India’s premier players, this round served as a reminder of the demanding nature of domestic cricket.
