As speculation grows over Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma‘s ODI future, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly mandated domestic cricket participation for the veteran duo, if they are to be considered for selection in the national team. Having retired from Tests and T20Is, Rohit and Kohli remain active cricketers only in the 50-over format. Hence, their match fitness for selection has become a big subject of debate. Ahead of the squad selection for the South Africa ODI series, the subject of the duo’s potential participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy has intensified.
According to a report in the Indian Express, Rohit has already informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) that he will be available to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Kohli, on the other hand, is yet to clear the status of his availability for the domestic one-day tournament.
“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 BCCI told The Indian Express.
When a similar directive was passed by the BCCI, following India’s dismal show in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, both Kohli and Rohit returned to play the Ranji Trophy, featuring in one match each.
Though both later decided to hang up their boots ahead of the squad selection for the England tour, a similar availability is sought from them if they are to fight for selection in India’s 2027 ODI World Cup team.
In fact, the level of Rohit’s dedication can be understood by the fact that he has informed the MCA that he might even be available to play for the team in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament too, which is scheduled to start on November 26.
Not long ago, the BCCI selection committee chief, Ajit Agarkar, reiterated the importance of playing domestic cricket for players if they are to be selected in the national team.
“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 on the subject.
The duo returned to the national team for the first time since the conclusion of the ICC Champions Trophy in the 3-match ODI series against Australia. In the series, Rohit emerged as the player of the match, scoring one fifty and a century. Kohli, on the other hand, only managed to live up to his potential in the final match of the series, which was a dead rubber, registering a 74-run knock.
The Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-25 starts on December 24.