BCCI tells Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli to play Vijay Hazare:Hitman gives his nod to MCA for domestic cricket, no confirmation from Virat – Report

Two of India’s biggest cricket names, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, have been told by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that if they want to continue playing One-Day Internationals (ODIs), they must prove their fitness and form by participating in domestic cricket. Both players have retired from Tests and T20 Internationals, but continue to feature in ODIs. According to reports, the BCCI has made it clear that they will need to play domestic tournaments regularly to stay match-ready. Both veterans played a crucial role in India’s recent ODI series win in Australia. Rohit hit a century in the final match, while Kohli bounced back from two ducks to score an unbeaten 87. Their form remains vital for India’s ODI setup, but with younger players rising fast, participation in domestic cricket will now be key to their continued selection. Rohit confirms availability, Virat is yet to decide The first step in this direction could come on December 24, when the Vijay Hazare Trophy, India’s premier one-day domestic competition, takes place. This is the only domestic 50-over event scheduled between India’s ODI series against South Africa (December 3–9) and New Zealand (starting January 11). According to the report of the Indian Express, Rohit Sharma has already informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) about his availability for the tournament. However, there is still no clarity regarding Virat Kohli’s participation. Rohit, who recently retired from T20Is after India’s 2024 World Cup win, is also considering playing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy, which begins on November 26. He has been practising at Mumbai’s Sharad Pawar Indoor Academy to prepare for the domestic season. Meanwhile, Kohli (37), who now resides in London, is yet to communicate his plans to the board. The BCCI, however, is hopeful that he too will join the domestic circuit soon. BCCI emphasises the importance of domestic cricket The BCCI’s stance is in line with what chief selector Ajit Agarkar had stated last month about the importance of domestic cricket for senior players. “We made it clear a year, or a couple of years back, that whenever players are available, they should be playing domestic cricket. That’s the only way you’ll keep yourself sharp and playing cricket, if you’ve got a long enough break. Whether that’s possible with the international cricket you’re playing or not, only time will tell, but if the guys are free, they should be playing domestic cricket,” Agarkar said.