 "All eyes on Kohli as many Indian stars are ready for Ranji Trophy 2nd round")
After India’s recent failures in Test cricket, which saw them lose a Test series at home for the first time in 12 years after going down 0-3 against New Zealand, and also losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after 10 years by a 1-3 margin against Australia in the Down Under series, multiple Indian players who are regular members of India’s Test squad are reportedly ready to join their respective teams for the upcoming round 2 matches of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season starting January 23. The big names expected to play in the domestic red-ball tournament include Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Kohli named in Delhi’s probable squad
The star Indian batter Virat Kohli, who last played in the domestic circuit in 2012, was named in Delhi’s probable squad for the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 round 2 matches. While his inclusion is subject to availability, the batter could end his domestic hiatus, as he needs to get some momentum under his belt ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy next month. Although Kohli scored a century in the first Test against Australia in Perth, he failed to cross the 50-run mark in the next seven innings, prompting multiple former cricketers, including Irfan Pathan, to question his role in the team at present.
Rohit joins Mumbai squad for training session
Another big name in Indian cricket and the Indian skipper for Tests and ODIs, Rohit Sharma, is also speculated to join Mumbai’s team for the second round of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 after he joined the squad for a practice session at Wankhede on Tuesday. Rohit last featured in a domestic tournament back in 2015, but his recent struggles with the bat might motivate him to play domestic red-ball cricket in a bid to rediscover his form.
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Other big names in the list
India's top-order batter Shubman Gill is set to play for Punjab in their Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka on January 23 in Bengaluru, following a modest Test series against Australia. Rishabh Pant, included in Delhi's probables alongside Virat Kohli, has confirmed his availability for Delhi's match against Saurashtra in Rajkot, marking his return to the Ranji Trophy since the 2017-18 season. Meanwhile, India Test opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has informed the Mumbai Cricket Association of his readiness for their match against Jammu and Kashmir.