From Shubman Gill to Rishabh Pant, Indian stalwarts stage failure in Ranji Trophy

Domestic cricket has regained keen interest after the stars of Indian cricket took part in the Ranji Trophy this season. The action resumed for Indian players on Wednesday following a disappointing end to the red-ball season in Australia during the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The loss of India's claim on the BGT after a decade, which came with significant drama within the camp, resulted in harsh actions from the BCCI. The Indian cricket board laid down some ground rules for the players to restore the team’s collective form, discipline, and coherence. One of the rules mandated that players participate in domestic tournaments. However, there seems to be no revival in the form of India’s mainstays, as the likes of Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Shubman Gill all failed in their respective Ranji Trophy matches on Thursday.

Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant disappoint on Ranji Trophy return

The white-ball season began impressively for India as the Suryakumar Yadav-led team thrashed England by 7 wickets in the opening T20I of the tour. However, the red-ball form of the Indian players continues to be a looming concern, as seen on Thursday. The next round of the Ranji Trophy kicked off on Thursday with penultimate group-stage matches taking place. The domestic tournament attracted much attention as Indian players, who are not part of the T20I setup, took on their Ranji Trophy duties. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, along with his opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal, joined Mumbai in their clash against Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant was in action for Delhi, under the leadership of Ayush Badoni, against Saurashtra. Another star in action was Shubman Gill, who played his first domestic fixture for Punjab since 2022.

Apart from their collective return, another common aspect among them on the opening day of the Ranji Trophy was their failure with the bat. Mumbai skipper Ajinkya Rahane had confirmed Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal as the team’s opening combination ahead of the match. On the day of the clash, Rahane chose to bat first against Jammu and Kashmir at BKC. What followed was a superb performance from the Jammu bowlers, who wrapped up the opening innings for a paltry total of 120. Meanwhile, the struggles continued for Rohit Sharma against the red-ball, despite the transition to the domestic setting. Yashasvi Jaiswal was the first to fall, walking back for just 4 off 8 balls. Rohit followed soon after, dismissed for 3 off 19 balls.

Playing his first Ranji Trophy game in nearly a decade, Rohit looked far from his best. The Mumbai captain seemed completely out of rhythm, failing to display the free-flowing stroke play that once made him one of the most feared batters globally. Jammu and Kashmir pacers Auqib Nabi and Umar Nazir made life difficult for Rohit after Ajinkya Rahane opted to bat first on Thursday morning. Nabi struck early, dismissing Jaiswal with a delivery that nipped back in from a good length, trapping the left-hander plumb in front. Jaiswal, who had begun the innings with an elegant square cut for four, was undone by his failure to step forward and cover the movement.

In another match, Punjab faced Karnataka in their Group C encounter at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Karnataka skipper Mayank Agarwal opted to bowl first, and his bowling attack responded with a fiery performance. As the likes of Vasuka Koushik, Abhilash Shetty, and Prasidh Krishna breathed fire on the Bengaluru turf, Punjab, led by Shubman Gill making his domestic comeback was bundled at just 55 in a matter of 29 overs. Gill, who had faced significant criticism for his overseas performances during the Border Gavaskar Trophy, did not help his side’s cause, making just 4 off 8 balls before being dismissed by Abhilash Shetty.

The story remained disappointingly similar in another match where Rishabh Pant was involved. As Saurashtra took on Delhi in the Group D contest, another collapse unfolded. Delhi, led by Ayush Badoni, opted to bat first against Saurashtra. However, their batting lineup couldn’t withstand the onslaught from Ravindra Jadeja, who claimed a five-wicket haul on his domestic return. Rishabh Pant, meanwhile, could only manage 1 run off 10 deliveries before falling to Jadeja, not Ravindra, but Dharmendrasinh.

The return of these Indian stars, who are set to play in the ICC Champions Trophy less than a month from now, has been a major disappointment for the fans. Safe to say, only Ravindra Jadeja impressed on his comeback to the domestic circuit. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill, who was named the Indian vice-captain for ODIs during the England Tour and for the all-important ICC Champions Trophy, has much to prove and redeem before he takes on a leading role.