Team India lost their first Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia in the last 10 years recently. After suffering a six-wicket defeat to Australia in the Sydney Test, India lost the five-match series 1-3. This defeat not only cost them the series but also dashed their hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025 final.
After India's disappointing show in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) came out with a directive for the team. This directive stressed on the importance of domestic cricket for players seeking future selection to the national team. With the second phase of the Ranji Trophy approaching, this directive takes on added significance.
Sarfaraz Khan to miss Mumbai vs J&K Ranji Trophy clash
However, a star India player who was in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad will be unavailable for the upcoming Ranji Trophy matches. According to a report in The Indian Express, star batter Sarfaraz Khan sustained a rib injury during the Australia tour. This injury will unfortunately see him not participating in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir, scheduled to start on January 23.
“He has injured one of his ribs and he has informed us that he won’t be playing the next Ranji Trophy game. As he is contracted with the BCCI, the National Cricket Academy will do his medical assessment and inform us,” a Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) official told the publication.
Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal has expressed his willingness to participate in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season for Mumbai. 1 According to a report in The Indian Express, Jaiswal has officially informed Mumbai coach Omkar Salvi about his availability for their upcoming match against Jammu and Kashmir, scheduled to begin on January 23rd.
This will be a big boost for the Mumbai team as they aim to progress further in the tournament. Jaiswal's inclusion in the team is expected to strengthen their batting lineup considerably.
“He has informed Mumbai coach Omkar Salvi that he is available for the next round of the Ranji Trophy. The selection committee will pick the Mumbai team in the coming days,” an MCA official told Indian Express.
Rohit Sharma has also rejoined the Mumbai squad for the ongoing Ranji Trophy season. Following a challenging period in Australia, Sharma has been actively practicing with the team. While there has been no official confirmation regarding his participation in the upcoming match against Jammu and Kashmir, his presence with the squad suggests a potential return to domestic cricket. If Sharma does indeed feature in the match, it would mark his first Ranji Trophy appearance since 2015.