Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's Absence from Domestic Cricket Raises Concerns; BCCI Urged to Revamp Schedule

The absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from domestic cricket has sparked conversations following India’s humiliating whitewash by New Zealand in the recent Test series. Kohli, who averaged just 15.50 in the series with a total of only 93 runs, and Rohit, who has struggled for runs in recent months, have not participated in domestic cricket for years. Kohli's last Ranji Trophy appearance was in 2013 for Delhi, while Rohit last played for Mumbai in 2015.

This lack of participation in domestic cricket has raised questions, particularly in light of their underperformance in the series against New Zealand. Former national selector Devang Gandhi pointed out that this situation contrasts with the example set by Sachin Tendulkar, who, in 2000, played both the Ranji Trophy semi-final and final in a span of two weeks after completing an ODI series. Gandhi emphasized that players, especially batsmen who struggle for form, should consider playing in domestic matches to regain their rhythm.

"In the gruelling heat of April 2000, Sachin played a Ranji semi-final and final just weeks after finishing an ODI series. Despite the challenges, he scored a double century and a fifty and hundred in the finals," Gandhi recalled. He stressed that, just like Tendulkar, players like Kohli and Rohit should consider playing domestic cricket to improve their form when they are struggling, suggesting that even a single game in the Duleep Trophy could have been beneficial.

In contrast, former chief selector MSK Prasad acknowledged the heavy workload of modern cricketers, which makes it difficult for them to feature in domestic cricket. "The volume of cricket has increased exponentially," Prasad said, explaining that it's not fair to compare today's cricketers with those from earlier eras, like Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar, who had fewer commitments.

Prasad proposed that the BCCI could encourage top players to participate in domestic cricket by making adjustments to the scheduling. He suggested that the Irani Cup could be a platform for top cricketers to play domestic cricket, as long as it is not scheduled during an active Test series. Furthermore, he recommended reinstating a rotation policy to ensure players get the necessary rest while maintaining their engagement with domestic cricket.

To better accommodate domestic cricket, Prasad proposed scheduling home Test series in such a way that one or two rounds of the Ranji Trophy are played before the series starts, rather than having them overlap. Such changes could allow India’s top players to participate in domestic cricket without compromising their international commitments.