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Former India captain Rohit Sharma has officially signaled his intention to return to domestic white-ball cricket. As per a report by Indian Express, the superstar batter has informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) of his availability to represent Mumbai in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy.
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Rohit Sharma set to play Vijay Hazare Trophy for Mumbai
Having stepped away from T20 Internationals following India's World Cup victory in 2024 and subsequently retiring from Test match cricket in 2025, Rohit now focuses entirely on the 50-over format at the international level. With key One Day International (ODI) assignments on India's calendar, including the 50-over World Cup, the veteran opener is looking to maintain match readiness through domestic participation.
According to an MCA official, Rohit confirmed that he will be ready to join the domestic side immediately following India's home three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka.
"He has informed us that he will be playing for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and to consider him available after India’s three-ODI series against Sri Lanka at home. How many matches he will be available for, he will inform us later," an MCA source told Indian Express.
Let's a look at how Rohit Sharma's Vijay Hazare campaign will be a sandwich between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe series:
| Event / Stage | Dates |
| India vs Sri Lanka (3 ODIs) | Dec 13 – Dec 19 |
| India vs Sri Lanka (3 T20Is) | Starts Dec 22 |
| Vijay Hazare League Stage | Dec 14 – Dec 29 |
| Vijay Hazare Window for Rohit | Dec 20 – Dec 29 |
| Vijay Hazare Knockouts | Jan 2 – Jan 8 |
| India vs Zimbabwe (3 ODIs) | Starts Jan 3 |
India’s home ODI series against Sri Lanka spans December 13 to December 19, taking place across Delhi, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad. Because Rohit has retired from shorter-format internationals, he will skip the subsequent three-match T20I series beginning December 22.
This gap leaves him a 10-day window during the tail end of the Vijay Hazare group stage (December 14 to December 29) to feature for Mumbai. Depending on Mumbai's progression and selection decisions for India's upcoming tour against Zimbabwe starting January 3, Rohit could also feature in the knockout stages held in Visakhapatnam.
Rohit's past Vijay Hazare appearances for Mumbai
This will not be Rohit's first return to domestic 50-over cricket in recent years. Last season, he made himself available for Mumbai's campaign in Jaipur, marking his first appearance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy since 2018.
Game 1 (vs. Sikkim): Showcased trademark strokeplay, smashing a 94-ball 155.
Game 2 (vs. Uttarakhand): Suffered a setback two days later, falling for a golden duck.
Prior to those outings, Rohit had accumulated 18 appearances for Mumbai in the tournament. Having trimmed his international workload down to a single format, using domestic tournaments to preserve rhythm has become an important part of his schedule.
Rohit Sharma's potential Mumbai Indians captaincy return
Alongside his domestic availability, reports indicate significant developments regarding Rohit’s role in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Mumbai Indians are reportedly considering reinstating him as captain for the IPL 2027 season.
Under Hardik Pandya’s leadership during the previous IPL campaign, Mumbai Indians endured a difficult season, losing 10 of their 14 group matches to finish ninth in the standings. The franchise is currently on a six-year title drought.
Rohit previously guided Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles, a record matched only by MS Dhoni. Sources suggest that while Rohit initially put forward middle-order batter Tilak Varma as a long-term leadership candidate, he ultimately agreed to step back into the captaincy role following discussions with management.
Rohit was recently spotted training at the MCA-Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) grounds in Mumbai, refining his technique ahead of India's upcoming five-match ODI tour to New Zealand.
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Following the Zimbabwe series in early January, India faces a prolonged gap without ODI fixtures prior to the IPL season. Participating in the Vijay Hazare Trophy provides essential game time in competitive 50-over conditions as India builds towards the upcoming 50-over World Cup.
Rohit Sharma’s performance in his last 10 International matches
Across his recent international outings in 50-over cricket, Rohit has maintained an aggressive, high-strike-rate approach at the top of the order. Over his last 10 innings, he has accumulated 554 runs at an average of 55.4 riding on two centuries and as many fifties.
| # | Opponent | Runs (Balls) | Fours | Sixes | Strike Rate | Match Venue |
| 1 | West Indies | 92 (85) | 8 | 4 | 108.23 | Chandigarh |
| 2 | West Indies | 101 (75) | 11 | 5 | 134.66 | Guwahati |
| 3 | West Indies | 32 (35) | 4 | 1 | 91.42 | Thiruvananthapuram |
| 4 | England | 138 (110) | 14 | 6 | 125.45 | Lord's |
| 5 | England | 26 (47) | 3 | 0 | 55.31 | Cardiff |
| 6 | England | 11 (21) | 1 | 0 | 52.38 | Birmingham |
| 7 | Afghanistan | 79 (69) | 7 | 3 | 114.49 | Chennai |
| 8 | Afghanistan | 48 (39) | 5 | 2 | 123.07 | Lucknow |
| 9 | Afghanistan | 16 (16) | 2 | 1 | 100.00 | Dharamshala |
| 10 | New Zealand | 11 (13) | 1 | 0 | 84.61 | Indore |
| Total / Avg | Summary | 554 Runs | 66 | 22 | — | Avg: 55.40 |
Rohit sets sights on New Zealand tour
Right now, Rohit’s primary focus remains on national duty as he prepares to join the ODI squad for the upcoming five-match series in New Zealand, which is scheduled to kick off from November 4.
To stay sharp, he recently put in practice sessions at the MCA-BKC facility. Because the national team’s 50-over calendar clears out between the conclusion of the Zimbabwe fixtures and the start of the IPL, getting domestic game time in the Vijay Hazare Trophy will be vital for his preparation ahead of next year's ODI World Cup.
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