After India’s disappointing 3-1 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made a significant announcement that senior players like Ravindra Jadeja, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli are to feature in domestic cricket. The board decided that senior Indian players, who often focus solely on international fixtures, would now actively participate in domestic tournaments. This would ensure that the players are often exposed to all forms of the game while being fit and ready for international duty.
Starting from the 23rd of January, various players like Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, veteran Ravindra Jadeja, and Mohammed Siraj have been included in the squads of their following states for the Ranji Trophy clash. As of now, KL Rahul has also been reported to make himself available for the next Ranji fixture for Karnataka, likely to begin on the 30th of January.
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Here’s a list of how India’s top stars performed on the first day of Ranji Trophy matches:
1: Rohit Sharma (Mumbai vs. Jammu & Kashmir): 3 runs
Indian opener Rohit Sharma, who has been out of form for a long time, continues to struggle against the pacers of Jammu & Kashmir. He found it difficult to counter their swing and bounce, leading to his early dismissal in the match. Not only internationally, his struggle against good bowling decks continues in the domestic games as well. Rohit Sharma managed to score a total of 3 runs from 19 balls and gave his wicket away to Umar Nazir Mir.
2: Yashasvi Jaiswal (Mumbai vs. Jammu & Kashmir): 4 runs
Young explosive batter Yashasvi Jaiswal has been in great form for the Indian side in the red-ball format. Jaiswal was India’s top scorer in 2024 and also the second-highest run-getter after Joe Root; he has played various impactful knocks against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The opener was part of the Ranji Trophy opening clash for Mumbai and was paired alongside Rohit. He started with a boundary and gave away his wicket cheaply to Auqib Nabi. Jaiswal only scored 4 runs out of 8 balls.
3: Shubman Gill (Punjab vs. Karnataka): 4 runs
India’s next-generation superstar, Shubman Gill, known for his immense potential, has been going through a weak patch for a long season. Despite showing glimpses of brilliance, he has struggled to convert his starts into big scores across formats. Playing for Punjab, Gill has been named the skipper as well, and while he has been named the vice captain of the Indian Champions Trophy side as well, he was dismissed for just 4 runs.
4: Ravindra Jadeja (Saurashtra vs. Delhi): 5/66
One of the greatest spin-bowling all-rounders in the world, Ravindra Jadeja showcased his masterclass once again in the red-ball format. While the legendary Indian all-rounder spun the web, he dismissed five Delhi batters to resist them to a score of 188 in the first inning. With his variations and accuracy, Jadeja struck for the wickets of Sanat Sangwan, Yash Dhull, Ayush Badoni, Harsh Tyagi, and Navdeep Saini. The left-arm spinner completed his 5-wicket haul, conceding 66 runs in 18 overs.
5: Rishabh Pant (Delhi vs. Saurashtra): 1 run
Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant made a capitalizing return to the longest format of the game; however, he failed to go big in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Despite his reputation as a game-changer, Pant has been unable to replicate his usual dominance with the bat, especially as he has gotten out owing to his reckless shot selection at crucial junctures of the game. He was included in the Delhi squad for the Ranji Trophy clash against Saurashtra, but he fell off for just 1 run facing 10 balls.
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