Mumbai pacer Mohit Avasthi expressed his admiration for Indian captain Rohit Sharma after sharing the dressing room with him during Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir. Despite Rohit’s much-anticipated return to domestic cricket after nearly a decade, Mumbai suffered a five-wicket defeat at the BKC ground.
Rohit Sharma’s Ranji Comeback Ends in Disappointment
Playing his first first-class match since 2015, Rohit Sharma’s return to the Ranji Trophy created significant excitement. However, he had an underwhelming outing with the bat, managing only 3 runs in the first innings and 28 in the second. His Test opening partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal, also had a difficult game, scoring just 4 and 26 across both innings.
Mumbai’s batting lineup struggled overall, with senior players Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer failing to make an impact. The loss marked Mumbai’s second consecutive home defeat against J&K, the last one occurring in 2014.
Mohit Avasthi’s Special Tribute to Rohit Sharma
Despite Mumbai’s disappointing performance, Mohit Avasthi cherished the experience of playing alongside Rohit Sharma. After the match, he took to Instagram to share his admiration for the Indian skipper.
“From the moment cricket started for me till today – the one whom I have always admired and learned a lot from – @rohitsharma45. It’s one of the highs in my career so far to share the dressing room with you. Looking forward to more such moments. All-time favorite Ro45,” Avasthi wrote.
Mumbai’s Quarterfinal Hopes in Jeopardy
The defeat has put Mumbai’s chances of reaching the quarterfinals in doubt. J&K now leads Group A with 29 points from six matches and needs just one more point from their final fixture against Baroda to qualify. Meanwhile, Baroda, with 27 points from five games, is currently playing against Maharashtra.
If Baroda secures a first-innings lead against J&K in their last match, Mumbai—who sit at 22 points from six games—will be eliminated from the group stage, even if they secure a bonus-point victory against Meghalaya.
Rohit’s return may not have gone as planned, but his presence in the domestic circuit was a memorable moment for young cricketers like Avasthi, highlighting the impact of senior players in shaping the next generation.
