Thu Jan 23 15:59:53 UTC 2025: ## India’s Cricket Stars Struggle in Ranji Trophy Return
**Mumbai, India –** The Ranji Trophy, India’s domestic cricket tournament, has begun its second phase, with a surprising slump in performance from several high-profile Indian players. The BCCI mandate requiring star players to participate in domestic matches has seen the return of Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and others to the Ranji Trophy. However, their performances so far have been underwhelming, raising concerns among fans.
Rohit Sharma, who was highly anticipated after a recent string of low scores in international matches against New Zealand and Australia, was dismissed for just 3 runs in Mumbai’s match against Jammu and Kashmir. His opening partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal, also fell early, scoring only 4. Mumbai struggled, losing seven wickets for under 50 runs. Similarly, Shubman Gill, the vice-captain of the India team for the upcoming Champions Trophy, managed only 4 runs for Punjab before being dismissed against Karnataka, who also decimated Punjab’s batting line-up, leaving them struggling at 6 wickets down for under 30 runs. Rishabh Pant’s return was equally disappointing, scoring just 1 run against Delhi’s match against Saurashtra. While Delhi reached a somewhat more respectable score, their performance also fell short of expectations.
The poor performance of these star players, who recently struggled in international matches, has led to significant criticism from fans on social media. While some players, like Ayush Badoni (35*) and Yash Dhull (44*) showed some promise for Delhi, the overall performance of many top players remains a concern as the Ranji Trophy continues. The contrast between their international struggles and their current domestic form is stark and has raised questions about their form and readiness for upcoming international commitments. Only Virat Kohli is notably absent from this return to domestic cricket.
First Piper 