Rohit Sharma, who won the Player of the Series award for his 200-run-plus haul in the series against Australia earlier this year, is all set to play in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy for Mumbai. However, he would be missing the opening two games against Sikkim and Uttarakhand. Not just Rohit, Yashavi Jaiswal, Shivam Dube and Ajinkya Rahane will also be opening the first two matches, and Mumbai chief selector Sanjay Patil has finally revealed the reason behind it.
It is worth mentioning that the BCCI and the selection committee have already informed all centrally contracted players that they are required to play at least two rounds of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Earlier, it was believed that only senior players Rohit and Virat Kohli would be issued a directive; however, the board cracked the whip for everyone.
The Indian team’s next assignment is the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, beginning January 11, while the Vijay Hazare Trophy begins December 24. Virat Kohli will be turning up for Delhi; however, it’s not clear which matches he’ll play exactly, while Rishabh Pant will be leading the team.
Rohit was expected to play the initial few games of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, but now it appears that this is no longer the case, as the selectors have revealed the exact reason.
“Rohit, Jaiswal, Dube and even Rahane will not be a part of the Mumbai squad for at least the first two matches as the selection panel is going ahead with a young squad,” Mumbai chief selector Sanjay Patil told news agency PTI.
“Yashasvi is undergoing treatment for a stomach issue, and he should be alright soon. We thought that the youngsters should be given a chance. But whenever they are available, they will be accommodated. For the first two matches, we are experimenting with youngsters,” he added.
Rohit’s recent form
With Rohit and Virat’s future being widely debated, the two senior Indian batters answered their critics in style by piling on the runs against Australia and South Africa. Following Rohit’s lead, Virat was adjudged as Player of the Series against the Proteas after hitting two centuries and one fifty.
Earlier against Australia, Rohit had slammed one century and one fifty. The duo batters also shared two 100+ partnerships – one in the final ODI against Australia in Sydney and the second against South Africa in the first ODI in Ranchi.
Speaking of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the tournament will be played from December 24 to January 8, with matches being played across Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Jaipur and Bengaluru. Mumbai are placed in Group C alongside Punjab, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Goa and Himachal Pradesh.
