A Look At Team India Stars' Last Ranji Trophy Appearances

Following India's poor performances in the Test arena as of late, with an unfortunate home series defeat after 12 years to New Zealand last year and a conceding 3-1 defeat to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy away from home, the debate whether Indian stars should play more domestic cricket or stick to just international cricket owing to heavy workload has picked up. Many experts and ex-cricketers have raised their voices in favour of India's superstars playing more domestic cricket for their state teams and giving back to their states and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has even come up with a new 10-point player policy, which makes domestic cricket compulsory.

BCCI on Thursday released new policies for Team India, making it "mandatory" to participate in domestic matches to remain "eligible" for selection in the national team and for the central contracts.

In the policy, BCCI stated that taking part in domestic cricket will remain connected to the cricket ecosystem. The statement added that any exceptions to taking part in domestic cricket will be considered only under extraordinary circumstances.

"Participation in Domestic Matches is mandatory for players to remain eligible for selection in the national team and for central contracts, as per BCCI guidelines. This policy ensures that players remain connected to the domestic cricket ecosystem, fostering talent development, maintaining match fitness, and strengthening the overall domestic structure. It also inspires emerging players by providing them opportunities to compete alongside top cricketers, ensuring continuity in talent progression. Any exceptions to this mandate will be considered only under extraordinary circumstances and will require formal notification and approval from the Chairman of the Selection Committee, ensuring fairness and transparency in the process," BCCI said in a statement.

In recent days, young stars Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill and even Yashasvi Jaiswal are among the ones who have reportedly confirmed their participation in upcoming Ranji Trophy matches, with the status of star seniors Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli still unknown.

Let us look at last Ranji appearances for all Indian Test stars:

Rohit Sharma: His last Ranji appearance for Mumbai came in November 2015 during which he scored 113 in 140 balls against Uttar Pradesh. The match was drawn. Shreyas Iyer also starred with a brilliant 137 and Shardul Thakur made 56 runs. India's current assistant coach Abhishek Nayar also delivered an all-round show with 42 runs and four wickets.

Yashasvi Jaiswal: He represented Mumbai in January 2023 before his Test debut against West Indies later that year, managing scores of 0 and 14 against Maharashtra. The match ended in a draw, as per Wisden.

Shubman Gill: The lanky right hander's last Ranji appearance for Punjab back in January 2022 yielded poor scores of 9 and 19 against Madhya Pradesh in quarerfinals.

Virat Kohli: The 36-year-old's last appearance in Ranji was back in November 2012 against Uttar Pradesh, in which he was dismissed for 14 and 42 runs in both innings by pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. In 155 first-class matches, Virat has scored 11,479 runs at an average of 48.23, with 37 centuries and 39 fifties in 258 innings, with the best score of 254*.

KL Rahul: India's all-format, versatile right-handed wicketkeeper-batter made his last Ranji appearance in 2020 March for Karnataka against Bengal, scoring 26 and 0 during the semifinal, which his team lost.

Rishabh Pant: He was the Delhi skipper when he led his side to the Ranji finals in 2017-18 season against Vidarbha and made just 21 and 32 in the title clash as Vidarbha won the title under Faiz Fasal's captaincy. In seven matches in the tournament back then, Pant scored 315 runs in nine innings at an average of 35.00, with a solitary half-century and best score of 99.

Dhruv Jurel: His last Ranji appearance came in January 2024 against Kerala, in which he played a fine knock of 63. In the same year, he made his Test debut during the home Test series against England. The match ended in a draw.

Sarfaraz Khan: The domestic cricket run machine's last Ranji appearance came in January 2024 and made just one run before being dismissed by Sakibul Gani of Bihar. Mumbai won the match by an inning.

Washington Sundar: His last Ranji appearance came during the 2024-25 last year, in which he scored 152 in 269 balls against Delhi and took six wickets in October. The match ended in a draw and he was handed an Indian comeback by coach Gautam Gambhir during the home series against New Zealand.

Ravindra Jadeja: Jadeja made a Ranji appearance in January 2023 for Saurashtra against Tamil Nadu, taking eight wickets in the match, with 7/48 in the second innings. He also scored 40 runs in the match, including 25 in the second innings and Saurashtra lost the match by 59 runs.

Nitish Kumar Reddy: The young all-rounder made an appearance for Andhra Pradesh against Gujarat in October 2024, scoring 47 and 34 with the bat and taking one wicket in 13 overs. Gujarat won the match by one wicket.

Akash Deep: His last Ranji appearance was a poor one as he could take just one wicket in only one inning he bowled and scored just five runs in two innings.

Jasprit Bumrah: The pace spearhead's workload is highly crucial to the team's success and he last played for his state side of Gujarat in 2017 January, taking seven wickets in total including a six-wicket haul in the second innings. This was the semifinal against Jharkhand which his team won and reached the final. Bumrah got the 'Player of the Match' award.

Prasidh Krishna: The lanky pacer last played Ranji in October 2024, bowling just eight overs and getting wicket of Madhya Pradesh's Himanshu Mantri.

Harshit Rana: Harshit's last appearance in Ranji came against Assam in October 2024, where he took a five-wicket haul followed by a fifty for Delhi, which included four boundaries and three sixes. In the second innings, he took two more wickets and was given an Indian call-up, making his Test debut during historic win at Perth. Delhi won the match by 10 wickets.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Will Rohit Travel To Pak For CT 2025 Captains' Meet? BCCI Breaks Silence

A customary captains' meet is set to take place in Pakistan ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025. The captains of all the eight participating teams need to be present at the event that is scheduled to take place on 17th or 18th of February. However, there is still no clarity whether India captain Rohit Sharma will be there at the event. Notably, the Indian cricket team has not travelled to Pakistan for over a decade now due to the political tensions between the two nations. Team India even opted not to travel to the country for the upcoming Champions Trophy, and as a result, the side has been scheduled to play all its matches in Dubai, despite Pakistan being the initial designated host.

BCCI newly-elected secretary Devajit Saikia gave an update on Rohit's participation regarding the captains' meet. When asked about Rohit's chances of going to Pakistan for the event, Saikia said that the board hasn't received any such proposal.

"We haven't got any such proposal. This hasn't been part of our discussions with the ICC," Saikia told The Telegraph.

Meanwhile, a source told the newspaper, "This is a very delicate situation and every step has to be taken after judging its repercussions. India have to find a compromise formula to solve the crisis since Pakistan will enjoy certain benefits by virtue of being the hosts."

A different source confirmed to PTI that the PCB has made it clear to the ICC that the opening ceremony, featuring all teams and their captains, will take place in Pakistan.

The source said that recently three Indian nationals, who were a part of the ICC delegation which came to Pakistan, were promptly issued visas once the world body sent their names to the PCB.

The Champions Trophy is set to begin on February 19, while the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan game will take place on February 23 in Dubai.

(With agency inputs)

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PCB Restricts Movement Of Scribes At Stadiums In Karachi And Lahore

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday restricted the entry and movement of the mainstream and digital media at its stadiums in Karachi and Lahore which are under construction ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy. The PCB is in a scramble to complete the renovation work of the stadiums ahead of next month's Champions Trophy. The media will now only be allowed to visit stadiums on a fixed day during the week when they can tour the venue and make videos in the presence of PCB media representatives.

"It has become irritating for us the way some people are constantly going to the stadiums without permission and filming or talking about minor issues of construction work and presenting their views on preparations for the mega event," an insider in the board said.

He said the decision to restrict the entry and movement of media at the stadiums was taken because "these conflicting reports are being picked up by the international media" and giving an impression that the country is not ready to host the Champions Trophy.

The National Stadium in Karachi is scheduled to play host to the opening match of the tournament between Pakistan and New Zealand on February 19.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Rules From Kohli's Captaincy Back? BCCI Planning Big U-Turn Amid Slump

Team India's struggles on the international circuit since the arrival of head coach Gautam Gambhir haven't gone down well with the board. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly keen to bring back the old rules over fitness tests that were applicable during Virat Kohli's captaincy days. The board had done away with the mandatory yo-yo fitness Test considering the workload and frequency of travel for the players. But, a report has claimed that the rule could be brought back.

According to the Times of India, the BCCI medical team has been asked to go back to fitness criteria for selection instead of just focusing on injury prevention because of the gruelling schedule. Yo-yo test mandate was removed by the previous management to reduce the number of injuries but a U-turn could be on the cards now.

"The board had gone lenient on the players since they are mostly on the road. The focus had shifted to just injury prevention. This has been taken lightly by some players. It is being mooted that a certain fitness level criteria needs to be reintroduced so that complacency doesn't creep in," the paper quoted a source as saying.

The BCCI is reportedly looking to make a few more changes to the way the team functions, with the stay of family members and wives of players also set to be curbed.

Officials believe having families present, especially during overseas assignments, can distract players and impact their performance. Additionally, the BCCI has introduced a rule requiring all players to travel with the team at all times.

This change addresses concerns over some players opting to travel separately in recent years, which the board views as disruptive to team cohesion and discipline.

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Massive Blow Ahead Of Champions Trophy: Star Ruled Out With Back Injury

South Africa pacer Anrich Nortje was on Wednesday ruled out of the Champions Trophy due to a back injury. Nortje, who has not played international cricket since the T20 World Cup final in June last year, was named in the Champions Trophy squad earlier this week but scans on Monday made it clear that he is not going to be fit in time for the ICC event beginning February 19 in Pakistan. "Pretoria Capitals fast bowler Anrich Nortje has been ruled out of the remainder of the Betway SA20 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to a back injury," said Cricket South Africa in a statement.

"The 31-year-old, who was initially named in the Champions Trophy squad, underwent scans on Monday afternoon which revealed the extent of the injury.

"He is not expected to recover in time for the 50-over tournament, where South Africa will begin their campaign on February 21 against Afghanistan in Karachi, Pakistan. His replacement will be announced in due course," the statement added.

Nortje has not played an ODI since September 2023 when he suffered a stress fracture.

In the T20 World Cup the following year, he was South Africa's stand out bowler. The Proteas had lost the final to India in Barbados.

It is the third time in six ICC events that Nortje has been forced to miss due to an injury.

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Ex-RCB Star Misses Ranji Camp To Join IPL Side, Triggers Priority Debate

Delhi wicketkeeper-batter Anuj Rawat has landed himself in hot water after skipping his side's preparation camp for the upcoming round of Ranji Trophy match to attend his Indian Premier League (IPL) side Gujarat Titans (GT)'s training camp in Surat. Rawat was bought by GT for Rs 30 lakh at the IPL 2025 mega auction last year, having been released by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Rawat was mentioned among the players who had joined the nets session in GT's official statement. 

"Gujarat Titans have commenced their preparations for the IPL 2025 with a training camp in Surat. Players like Anuj Rawat, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav, Kumar Kushagra, Mahipal Lomror and Arshad Khan have joined the team in the camp along with the coaches and support staff," the franchise said in a statement.

At a time when the BCCI brass is adamant that players should give precedence to red-ball cricket during the season, Rawat attending an IPL camp only a week before the commencement of red-ball season is a clear indication of where his priorities lie.

It must be mentioned here that veteran bowler Ishant Sharma has already told DDCA that he won't play red-ball cricket anymore now that he is no longer in contention for a national comeback.

When DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma, who is also the convenor of the senior state team selection committee, was asked if the player in question had sought permission to join his IPL team's pre-season conditioning camp, he replied in negative.

"I have no knowledge that Anuj has skipped the ongoing Ranji Trophy camp to attend the IPL team's camp. Ideally, he needs to take permission from the state association. We have two Ranji games left and the camp is on at the Kotla. I don't know who gave him the permission to skip the Ranji Trophy camp," Sharma told PTI.

"Ishant's case is different as he doesn't need DDCA's permission since he doesn't play Ranji Trophy." It is learnt that normally, if an IPL pre-season conditioning camp coincides with a state team camp, one normally takes permission from either the president or the secretary before attending an IPL net session.

"We have received a few official e-mail requests from certain players asking for permission to join their respective IPL camps but I can confirm that we have received no written request from Anuj Rawat. In that case, he shouldn't have joined the IPL camp," a senior DDCA official, who looks after cricket operations, said on condition of anonymity.

Last year, KKR's IPL-winning captain Shreyas Iyer, who will lead Punjab Kings this season, lost his central contract along with Ishan Kishan, for giving more importance to IPL than domestic cricket.

(With PTI Inputs)

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Gambhir, Agarkar Differ In Test Captaincy Choices. India Coach Wants...

As the new Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary steps into the shoes vacated by Jay Shah, the hunt for Rohit Sharma's long-term captaincy successor has begun. Rohit reportedly came close to hanging his boots in the Test format during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia but was made to change his mind by some 'well-wishers'. Rohit even claimed in an interview during the Sydney Test that he has no retirement plans at present, but Saturday's BCCI meeting with chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir has painted a different picture.

According to a report in Dainik Jagran, there isn't absolute agreement over Jasprit Bumrah's name as India's next Test captain. When it comes to 5-match Test assignments, Bumrah's workload does become an issue and the recently-concluded Border-Gavaskar series is an example.

Bumrah had to sit out half of the 5th Test in Sydney due to a back issue. If he gets India's full-time Test captaincy, such issues could prove to be detrimental. While there's no denying that Bumrah is the best candidate to fill in the void that would be created by Rohit's exit, the board and selectors also want a solid Plan B for cases where Bumrah isn't available.

The BCCI and selectors want to groom another strong captaincy candidate, who will be officially named the team's vice-captain. The player would lead the team in Bumrah's absence. The two names that have been floated are Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

While Pant has been fully backed by the selectors, the report in Hindi daily has claimed that Gambhir may be favouring Jaiswal for the role. The India head coach, hence, could be standing at the opposite end of the table on the topic, in comparison to the national selectors.

The BCCI, however, isn't keen to make any changes till the conclusion of the Champions Trophy in order to avoid a negative affect on the team. However, some big alterations are expected to take place after the ICC event.

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