After poor performances in Test series against New Zealand at home and Australia away, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recommended that Indian players participate in Ranji Trophy to regain their form.
While several top players followed the advice, their performances in domestic cricket have been far from encouraging, raising concerns ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Rohit Sharma's form remains a concern
Rohit Sharma, looking to bounce back after a string of poor Test outings, returned to Ranji Trophy after nearly a decade. Representing Mumbai against Jammu and Kashmir, Rohit's struggles continued as he was dismissed for just 3 runs. With ICC Champions Trophy around the corner, the Indian skipper's lack of form remains a major worry.
In the same match, several other big names also faltered:
Yashasvi Jaiswal: Out for 4 runs.
Ajinkya Rahane: Managed only 12 runs.
Shreyas Iyer: Scored 11 runs.
Shivam Dubey: Dismissed for a duck.
Shubman Gill fails to deliver for Punjab
Shubman Gill, playing for Punjab against Karnataka, also endured a disappointing outing. Punjab collapsed to 46/7 at one point, and Gill, who is vice-captain for the 2025 Champions Trophy, managed only 4 runs. His lack of form further adds to India's batting woes.
Rishabh Pant’s Struggles on Ranji Return
Rishabh Pant score just 1 run off 10 balls
Rishabh Pant, making a rare appearance for Delhi in Ranji Trophy after seven years, also failed with the bat. Playing against Saurashtra in Rajkot, Pant could score just 1 run off 10 balls. His last Ranji appearance in 2017 saw him score 53 runs across two innings, but this time his return to the domestic circuit has been underwhelming.
Alarming signs for team India ahead of ICC Champions Trophy 2025
The continued struggles of India's top stars in Ranji Trophy have raised serious concerns for the team's preparations ahead of the ODI series against England and the ICC Champions Trophy.