Former India captain Rohit Sharma has informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) that he will be available to play in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, following the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s strong directive that senior players must participate in domestic cricket if they wish to remain in contention for the future India ODIs and the 2027 World Cup.
According to a report in The Indian Express, Rohit has confirmed his participation in Mumbai’s campaign, which begins on December 24, marking the only domestic one-day window between India’s home ODI series against South Africa (December 3-9) and New Zealand (January 11 onwards).
However, there is still no clarity on Virat Kohli’s availability, with sources indicating that the 37-year-old, who now resides in London, has yet to communicate his plans to the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA).
Both Rohit and Kohli have retired from Tests and T20 Internationals, focusing solely on the 50-over format. The BCCI and team management, however, have made it clear that even established stars must “go through the domestic grind” to maintain match readiness and remain eligible for the national team.
“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,” a BCCI official told The Indian Express.
Both Rohit and Kohli played for India in the Australia ODIs, where Rohit returned as the Player of the Series with a half-century and a century in the second and third ODIs, respectively. Kohli, after registering two ducks, scored an unbeaten fifty in the last match.
Rohit, who last played for Mumbai in a Ranji Trophy match earlier this year after a decade-long absence, is also believed to be considering participation in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which begins on November 26. The 38-year-old has been training at Mumbai’s Sharad Pawar Indoor Academy in preparation for the domestic season.
Meanwhile, national selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar reiterated that participation in domestic competitions was non-negotiable for players when not on international duty. “We made it clear a year, or a couple of years back, that whenever players are available, they should be playing domestic cricket,” Agarkar said recently. “That’s the only way you’ll keep yourself sharp and playing cricket, if you’ve got a long enough break.”
Agarkar added that while neither Rohit nor Kohli is “on trial,” the selectors will continue to assess players’ fitness and form through domestic performances. “They are not on trial; they have achieved all they had to achieve, not just winning trophies but runs as well. But 2027 is a long way away. Once they start playing, then you assess as you go forward,” he said.
An earlier PTI report had suggested that both Rohit and Kohli were expected to feature in at least three, if not four, Vijay Hazare Trophy matches before the New Zealand ODI series in January, with the selectors keen to see them in competitive 50-over action. Between the South Africa and New Zealand series, both Delhi and Mumbai are slated to play six rounds of Vijay Hazare matches – offering ample opportunities for the senior duo to prove match readiness ahead of India’s next ODI assignment.