Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has criticized senior Indian players, including Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill, for treating their Ranji Trophy appearances as mere formalities.
Chopra pointed out that while Virat Kohli is currently playing in the tournament, many top players have played just one match before opting out, raising concerns about their commitment to domestic cricket.
A Token Appearance in Domestic Cricket?
Chopra, speaking on his YouTube channel, remarked that barring Ravindra Jadeja—who played another match for Saurashtra—most senior Indian cricketers had marked their “attendance” in the Ranji Trophy before stepping away. He compared their participation to a forced duty rather than a genuine effort to contribute to domestic cricket.
“Virat Kohli is playing, but many others are not, like Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, or Shreyas Iyer. Ultimately, all the players have played their token Ranji Trophy match, marked their attendance, and left,” Chopra said.
BCCI’s Guidelines
Following India’s disappointing 1-3 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, the BCCI introduced a 10-point guideline emphasizing the importance of domestic cricket. One key directive required players not involved in international matches to participate in Ranji Trophy games. However, while some players, including Kohli, KL Rahul, and Jadeja, followed the directive, others played just one match before withdrawing.
Interestingly, all the senior Indian players who opted out—Rohit Sharma, Jaiswal, Iyer, Gill, and Rishabh Pant—ended up losing their respective Ranji matches. Meanwhile, Jadeja not only played another game but also won the Player of the Match award.
‘Playing First-Class Cricket Should Be a Privilege’
Expressing his disappointment, Chopra emphasized that first-class cricket should be viewed as an opportunity rather than an obligation. He argued that such an attitude could harm Indian cricket, especially at a time when the team is struggling in Test matches.
“What does it tell you? This (playing Ranji Trophy) was a bit of a punishment posting. But playing first-class cricket shouldn’t be a punishment, it should be a privilege,” Chopra stated.
India’s Test cricket performance has seen a sharp decline in recent months. The team not only lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade but also suffered an embarrassing 3-0 whitewash at home against New Zealand—something unprecedented in Indian cricket history. The poor form of senior batters, including Kohli and Rohit, has been a significant factor in these losses.
Will Players Prioritize Domestic Cricket?
With the BCCI keen on ensuring senior players participate in domestic cricket, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether these cricketers continue to focus solely on international commitments or return to Ranji Trophy action.
For now, while Kohli’s presence has drawn record crowds to the Arun Jaitley Stadium, his early dismissal for just six runs shows that even star players can struggle when they lack consistent first-class cricket exposure.
As the debate continues, fans and cricket analysts will be watching closely to see how India’s top cricketers respond to growing criticism over their approach to domestic cricket.
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