State associations back Rohit Sharma's ‘hunger’ remark, expect better from centrally-contracted players

Indian cricket finds itself at a crossroad as the debate between club cricket and national representation intensifies. India skipper Rohit Sharma has ignited a fiery discussion and clarified that the players who don’t have the hunger to play Test cricket, will sit out while others will be given an opportunity in the longest format of the game.

The context of Rohit’s remark lies in the growing trend among players prioritizing the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the Ranji Trophy. The BCCI, recognizing this shift, has issued a stern warning to centrally-contracted players who neglect their red-ball commitments in favour of lucrative T20 contracts. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has indicated that such players will face severe consequences and may even get axed from their contracts.

Rohit’s recent statement and Shah’s decision came after Ishan Kishan opted out of the Ranji Trophy and was seen practising with Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya in Baroda. Later, Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Shreyas Iyer decided to skip the Ranji Trophy quarter-final citing an injury, but NCA doctors sent a mail to BCCI revealing that the cricketer isn’t going through any sort of injuries.

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Following which, Rohit has made it clear that the opportunities will be given only to those who exhibit hunger and understand the importance of Test cricket, as it is often regarded as the ‘greatest format of the game’. Meanwhile, State associations have rallied behind Rohit’s stance, acknowledging the need for a robust system. 

Former cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar believes that regular participation in the Ranji Trophy will sharpen the skills of the players, who can later on feature in the national team. He also advocated for empowering the respective state associations to take action against players who neglect domestic cricket.

“Playing Ranji is very important. It helps you play spin better on Indian wickets, your overall skills are improved. And when you play foreign teams, it becomes easier (to face spin). I feel it is a player's wish whether to play Ranji or not. If he doesn't want to play, we have enough in India to choose from, they will play and establish themselves. No one is bigger than the game. No one is indispensable,” Vengsarkar was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Abhilash Khandekar, the president of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) echoed the same sentiments and added that he concurs with skipper Rohit and expects more hunger from young cricketers to play in the longest format.

“I concur with the Indian captain. There should be hunger in younger cricketers to play the longest format. Ranji Trophy cannot be taken lightly by any player. It is the backbone of Indian cricket. It is the most important tournament in domestic cricket. This should be followed up in other formats in domestic cricket,” Abhilash said.