Kohli's Ranji Availability Uncertain Amid Domestic Cricket Focus

The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) reports no official word from Virat Kohli on his availability for the Ranji Trophy. Amid BCCI's push for domestic engagement, key players like Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are committing to state teams to enhance India’s red-ball cricket competitiveness.

The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has disclosed it has yet to receive a formal update from Virat Kohli regarding his participation in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season.

A DDCA representative mentioned they have not had any official communication from Kohli about his plans for the Ranji games. This situation aligns with the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) recent guideline, which mandates players skipping domestic matches during the home season to present valid reasons reviewed by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) or their respective state associations.

At the same time, India's Test and ODI captain, Rohit Sharma, was spotted at Mumbai's Ranji Trophy practice session at the Wankhede Stadium earlier this week, as confirmed by ESPNcricinfo. Even though his commitment to upcoming matches hasn't been verified, Sharma's presence indicates his dedication to maintaining a significant role in first-class cricket. The BCCI's move towards stricter accountability for domestic play is part of a broader strategy to ensure national players are match-ready and in good form, particularly after India's recent 3-1 Test series loss in Australia, which highlighted the necessity for players to stay engaged with domestic cricket.

Furthermore, Shubman Gill has declared his readiness for Punjab's upcoming Ranji Trophy encounter against Karnataka, beginning January 23 at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Although Punjab has not officially released their squad, Gill's involvement would be a significant uplift for the team, according to ESPNcricinfo. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar emphasize the importance of having India's leading players contribute to their state teams for match preparedness. Gill had a challenging series in Australia, achieving a top score of 31 in five innings after returning from a finger injury that had kept him out of the first Test in Perth, with an average of 18.60 across the series.

If Kohli confirms his participation in the Ranji Trophy, it will be closely monitored, as player involvement in state-level cricket is vital to sustaining India's prowess in red-ball formats. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)