'Players Like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli...': Jay Shah On India Stars Missing Duleep Trophy

Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will skip the Duleep Trophy, which marks the start of the Indian domestic season.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah said on Thursday that star batters Rohit and Virat Kohli should not be insisted on playing Duleep Trophy since exposing them more will have a risk of injuries. The Duleep Trophy, which marks the beginning of red-ball cricket in the domestic season, will feature top India stars from the international circuit and emerging talents competing at the highest level. The tournament is set to begin on September 5, 2024, in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh and M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.

Though BCCI is encouraging top Indian players and regulars to take part in domestic cricket more regularly, Shah said that the two cricketing icons should not be insisted on playing in the tournament to reduce the chance of them sustaining injuries. He also noted how in Australia and England, every international player does not play domestic cricket.

In a media interaction with Mumbai, as quoted by Wisden, Shah said, "We should not insist on players like Rohit and Virat to play in the Duleep Trophy. They will risk injury. If you have noticed, in Australia and England, every international player does not play domestic cricket. We have to treat the players with respect."

Notably, India's key players of red-ball cricket, including captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah, will not feature in the competition.

Rohit's last appearance in the tournament was back in 2016 while for Virat it was back in 2010, when he was yet to feature in a Test for India.