3 Indian Players Who Should Play Ranji Trophy to Regain Form

Team India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in 10 years recently going down to Australia 1-3 Down Under. The visitors’ batting line-up was under the scanner right through the series as India couldn’t cross the 200-run mark in six out of nine innings. 

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India fought well but it was always the bowling attack led by Jasprit Bumrah that kept them in the game. On the batting front, there were not many changes despite the big names failing consistently.

The poor show from the batters has raised the debate if the players should go back to domestic cricket to regain their form. With India’s next Test series set to be played from June 20 in England, there is certainly enough time for certain players to get back amongst runs as soon as possible. 

On that note, let us have a look at three players who should play Ranji Trophy to regain form:

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1. Virat Kohli

The first player who has to go back to Ranji Trophy to sort things out with his batting technique is Virat Kohli. The former India skipper got out in the same fashion, edging the ball outside the off-stump to either slip or wicket-keeper for the entire series. Kohli scored a century in the second innings of the first Test in Perth but apart from that, he did nothing on this tour.

Kohli scored only 190 runs at an average of 23.75 in nine innings with a century to his name. The pattern of his dismissals is certainly worrisome and to have any chance of regaining his form, Kohli will have to go back to the drawing room. Playing the second half of the Ranji Trophy would do a world of good for him. Kohli last played Ranji Trophy way back in 2012 for Delhi but playing domestic cricket will certainly help him.

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2. Rohit Sharma

India skipper Rohit Sharma’s form was even worse than that of Kohli. He couldn’t cross the 10-run mark in six innings including the warm-up game against Prime Minister’s XI. In the series, Rohit scored only 31 runs in five innings at an average of 6.2 and never looked comfortable in the middle.

Moreover, he dropped himself from the playing XI for the fifth and final Test in Sydney but asserted confidently that he hasn’t retired from the format. To make a storming comeback, Rohit has no option but to return to domestic cricket and stake claim to his place in the side even though he is the captain of the team.

3. KL Rahul

KL Rahul might have finished the series against Australia with 276 runs in 10 innings at an average of 30.67. But his numbers diminished as the series progressed. In the last two Tests, Rahul’s scores were 24, 0, 4 and 13. Even though he stood up when the team needed him, Rahul indeed has a few technical issues that need to be sorted.

Playing domestic cricket will certainly help him especially ahead of the series against England away from home where the ball keeps swinging for the entire day. 

With the Indian team likely to be in transition soon, Rahul will have to make sure he is not a part of that transition and has to step away from the team.

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