NEW DELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly taken a firm stance on the ODI careers of veteran stars Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, mandating their participation in domestic tournaments to ensure fitness for national selection.

Domestic cricket is now non-negotiable

As per reports from The Indian Express, the national board and team management have clearly communicated that participation in domestic one-day competitions, specifically the Vijay Hazare Trophy, is compulsory for the duo if they wish to remain in contention for the national side.

This policy addresses the need for the experienced players to prove their sustained match fitness, given they no longer feature in India’s year-round Test or T20I schedule.

A source within the BCCI confirmed the directive, emphasizing: “The board and team management have conveyed to both of them that they will have to play domestic cricket if they want to play for India. As they both have retired from two formats, they have to play domestic cricket to be match fit.”

Status of availability

The implementation of the directive has already yielded clarity from one of the stalwarts. Rohit Sharma has reportedly informed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) that he will make himself available for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. However, the status of Virat Kohli’s availability for the upcoming one-day tournament remains ambiguous.

This situation echoes a previous BCCI mandate where both players featured in a single Ranji Trophy match each following a poor showing against Australia. Now, as the board looks ahead to the ODI World Cup2027, securing their fitness and commitment through domestic appearances is seen as essential for them to fight for a spot in that crucial squad.

Class on display in Sydney

Despite the debate over their schedules, the veteran duo’s enduring class was recently on full display. In the third and final ODI against Australia in Sydney, both Kohli and Rohit showed exactly why their experience remains invaluable to the 50-over format. They forged a formidable partnership, demonstrating the precise control, temperament, and ability to handle high-pressure scenarios that only comes with their level of experience.