BCCI’s message to Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma: Play domestic one-dayers to play for India

[rollingstoned]

BCCI’s message to Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma: Play domestic one-dayers to play for India

This could result in the two former captains playing Vijay Hazare Trophy starting December 24

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in action. (FILE photo)

 

 

 

 

If two of Indian cricket’s brightest stars have to stay in the team, they will have to go through the domestic grind.

This is the message from the Indian board for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both have retired from Tests and T20 Internationals but continue to represent the country in One-Day Internationals.

The first step in this direction could possibly be a Vijay Hazare Trophy game on December 24. This is the only one-day game on the domestic calendar between the three-ODI series against South Africa from December 3-9 and another one against New Zealand from January 11 – both at home.

The Indian Express has learnt that Rohit has informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) that he will be available to play Vijay Hazare Trophy but there is no clarity yet on Virat’s availability.

 

Kohli (37) and Rohit (38) last featured in the ODI series in Australia last month, where they went on to join hands for a winning partnership in the final game. While Rohit starred in two of the three games, hitting a hundred in the third match, Kohli bounced back from two ducks to hit an unbeaten 87.

“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,” sources in the board told The Indian Express.

Rohit and Kohli retired from T20Is after the 2024 World Cup, and called time on their Test careers after the 2024-25 tour of Australia.
Rohit is learnt to have informed the MCA that he might even be available for the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament scheduled to start on November 26. He has been practising at Mumbai’s Sharad Pawar indoor academy. The Indian board is hoping to also see Kohli, who lives in London these days, playing domestic cricket.

Last month, chairman of the selection committee Ajit Agarkar had stressed on the need for players to turn out in domestic cricket.

“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,” he had said.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in action. (FILE photo)

Rohit and Kohli played one Ranji Trophy game each last season. In January, Kohli turned up for Delhi after 12 years while Rohit turned up for a Mumbai game after 10 years.

At the time, Rohit, explaining the long absence from domestic cricket, had said: “…I can at least say about what has happened with me since I’ve started playing Test cricket regularly, which is from 2019, you have hardly had any time. When you play so much international cricket throughout the year, you need some time off as well as a cricketer just to refresh… But we have addressed it now and nobody takes it for granted or anything like that.”

Referring specifically to Kohli and Rohit in the context of the next ODI World Cup, Agarkar had said that the two players are not on trial.

“In two years’ time, we don’t know what the situation is going to be. So why just them two? It could be some other younger players [who might miss out on the tournament],” he had said during an NDTV event.

“You are not going to put them on trial in every game. But 2027 is a long way away, both of them play one format […] they haven’t had a lot of cricket [in recent months]. Once they start playing, then you assess as you go forward.

“They are not on trial, they have achieved all they had to achieve, not just winning trophies but runs [as well], so it’s not that if both of them don’t get runs in one series that will be the reason they won’t be there, or if they get three hundreds, [that will be] the reason they play 2027. It’s still a long way away, we’ll see how the team shapes up, but we have some ideas, and as we go along, we’ll probably have a better idea of where the team is progressing.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2025 by rollingstoned

[lemsip]

This is good. I'm pretty sure Rohit will play on the domestic circuit. I don't see Kohli taking up this "offer" - he checked out of even domestic test series in the last few years and don't see him flying back from London to play Vijay Hazare. Given his brand power and influence, I feel he will get his way by making himself available  for the SA ODIs and daring the selectors not to pick him.

[figo6762]

Yeah this won’t last .. don’t these 2 doing the domestic grind … 

[ShoonyaSifar]

Christmas and new year plans derailed for RoKo! No more turning up only for ODIs

 

Rohit does seem damn serious about extending his career. Massive weight loss, now this, looking good for him. Upto the domestic bowlers now to give him a tough time

 

 

[putrevus]

Excellent decision, if these two bozos want to play 2027 then they better buckle up and do the grind.If not leave it to youngsters who are willing to do the grind and are hungry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ShoonyaSifar]

There is a 3 week gap between the SA T20s (5th T20 on Dec 19) and 1st ODI vs NZ (starts Jan 11). 

 

VH trophy starts from Dec 24. BCCI should ensure every single current LOI player including Bumrah plays at least 3-4 matches in VH trophy before the NZ series 

[Gollum]

Kohli has a fancy house in Mumbai, his mom, brother and sister live in Delhi/Gurgaon. What is the harm in spending Christmas and New Year in India? Anyway after 2027, he can spend all his time in London, and give up Indian citizenship.

[lemsip]

50 minutes ago, Gollum said:

Kohli has a fancy house in Mumbai, his mom, brother and sister live in Delhi/Gurgaon. What is the harm in spending Christmas and New Year in India? Anyway after 2027, he can spend all his time in London, and give up Indian citizenship.

Indian sport has a personality dominated culture. Like the previous series vs Australia that India lost, all the focus will be whether and how RO-KO play, not on the team performance or results.

Short term eyeballs will be driven by the opportunity to see these two on the screens again. Ultimately that is what BCCI will continue to be driven by. They can make grand announcements but no way are they going to have the balls to kill the goose that lays golden eggs. The average punter doesn't care whether they play domestic tournaments and ultimately neither will the selection panel.

[BacktoCricaddict]

1 hour ago, putrevus said:

if these two bozos want to play 2027

Wait, who hijacked your account ;-)?

[gattaca]

1 hour ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

Wait, who hijacked your account ;-)?

lol from being Kohli fan to bozos lol. Kohli dismissals caused us to loose the Australian series. It crazy that we won ODI series in Australia for over a decade. 

[gattaca]

3 hours ago, putrevus said:

Excellent decision, if these two bozos want to play 2027 then they better buckle up and do the grind.If not leave it to youngsters who are willing to do the grind and are hungry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rohit sharma is available according to HT. No response from Kohli. May be he can play in his home country England ?

[lemsip]

10 minutes ago, gattaca said:

Rohit sharma is available according to HT. No response from Kohli. May be he can play in his home country England ?

Not possible. Cricket is only possible in late spring/summer here ( May onwards)

[putrevus]

3 hours ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

Wait, who hijacked your account ;-)?

Being great player does not mean you get to do whatever you want, if they both keep playing cricket, they should be first two names on the team.

 

If they don't want to commit then they should get out.

 

I always said the samething.Kohli should have been playing Ranji also.

[cricketfan28]

So it is happening...

[rkt.india]

Both should join plate teams like Mizoram and Manipur and play for them in domestic.

[rkt.india]

17 hours ago, ShoonyaSifar said:

There is a 3 week gap between the SA T20s (5th T20 on Dec 19) and 1st ODI vs NZ (starts Jan 11). 

 

VH trophy starts from Dec 24. BCCI should ensure every single current LOI player including Bumrah plays at least 3-4 matches in VH trophy before the NZ series 

No need for players playing in T20 series to play VH trophy.

[ShoonyaSifar]

1 minute ago, rkt.india said:

No need for players playing in T20 series to play VH trophy.

I am sure you would have said the reverse if I said no T20I players should play VH series.

 

In any case T20 team is young, will be good for them to keep playing as much LO cricket as they can. Else they will sit at home from Dec 20 to January 20. 

[rkt.india]

2 minutes ago, ShoonyaSifar said:

I am sure you would have said the reverse if I said no T20I players should play VH series.

 

In any case T20 team is young, will be good for them to keep playing as much LO cricket as they can. Else they will sit at home from Dec 20 to January 20. 

Players from T20 side who aren't in ODI squad should play VH trophy but players who will play against NZ in ODIs should get a break and come fresh.

[putrevus]

4 hours ago, rkt.india said:

Both should join plate teams like Mizoram and Manipur and play for them in domestic.

They should do that, it will raise the profiles of those teams too. These formers players have to give back to the game from which they have profitted so much.I doubt they will do it .

[kosingh]

For show they will play one domestic match