The sixth round of the Ranji Trophy had built more anticipation due to Indian Test team stars like captain Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill joining their respective state teams.
The star quartet playing in the Ranji Trophy came after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) made it compulsory for international players to participate in domestic cricket as part of its new policy.
But on day one of the competition's second leg, all four of them were dismissed for single-digit scores. At MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy ground at Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai, Rohit's much-awaited comeback to Ranji Trophy after a gap of ten years was too short-lived-lasting just 19 balls as he departed for just three runs off the J&K fast-bowler Umar Nazir.
Nazir, bowling with discipline and accuracy, troubled Rohit with successive maidens before having a length delivery outside off taking Rohit's leading edge as he went for a pull and was caught at extra cover.
This dismissal extended Rohit's lean patch in red-ball cricket after he averaged only 10.93 in the 2024/25 Test season for India.
On the other side, Jaiswal fell to four to Auqib Nabi, who enjoyed the morning nip to the full and trapped left-handed lbw with a sharp delivery jagging back in. In Bengaluru, opening for Punjab, Gill got dismissed for four off eight balls after being caught behind off Karnataka pacer Abhilash Shetty, and the visitors went down for just 55 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Pant's stay at the crease was minuscule as he scored just one run off 10 balls for Delhi against Saurashtra at the Niranjan Shah Stadium Ground C in Rajkot, playing his first Ranji Trophy game since December 2017.
Pant fell off balance while attempting to sweep off Dharmendrasinh Jadeja and was caught at deep square leg.
There was some cheer though on the bowling front as Ravindra Jadeja took 5-66 in 17.4 overs as Saurashtra bowled out Delhi for 188.
The quartet of Rohit, Jaiswal, Pant and Gill will have an opportunity to redeem themselves when the second innings of their respective teams arrive with the bat in their ongoing games.
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