Rohit Sharma Fails To Deliver In Ranji Trophy Return, Falls For Three Against J&K

Rohit Sharma’s much-anticipated comeback to the Ranji Trophy ended in disappointment as he managed just three runs off 19 balls in Mumbai’s Group A match against Jammu and Kashmir at the Sharad Pawar Academy on Thursday.

The Indian Test and ODI skipper, under scrutiny for his recent form, had confirmed his participation last week during the Champions Trophy squad announcement, raising expectations for his domestic appearance.

Early Struggles For Mumbai Openers

Opening alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit faced J&K’s Umar Nazir Mir, who bowled with discipline and subtle movement. Mir’s tight line saw him bowl two consecutive maidens to Rohit before dismissing him on the 17th ball. A length delivery outside off drew a leading edge, with Paras Dogra completing the catch at extra cover.

Rohit’s dismissal extended his lean patch in red-ball cricket, where he averaged just 10.93 in the 2024-25 Test season with a lone half-century in 15 innings. His first-class average this season stands at 10.43, his second-lowest since 2006 for batters with at least 15 innings in the top six.

Jaiswal, too, struggled, falling lbw to Auqib Nabi for four. Nabi exploited the early conditions, delivering a sharp ball that jagged back and struck Jaiswal deep in the crease.

Mumbai reshuffled their squad to include Rohit and Jaiswal, sidelining debutant Ayush Mhatre, who had scored 408 runs this season at an average of 45.33. However, the adjustments failed to pay off as J&K’s disciplined bowling took full advantage of the cool morning conditions, leaving Mumbai’s openers struggling to make an impact.

This poor start adds to Rohit Sharma’s ongoing form concerns as he looks to regain rhythm ahead of key international fixtures.

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