The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has asked national level players to participate in domestic cricket ahead of the New Zealand series. According to news reports, current Indian players including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma will have to play at least two matches in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy.
There is a gap of about three weeks between India’s last T20 match against South Africa and the start of the ODI series against New Zealand. The board has urged the players to participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy starting from December 24. Fans will also get a chance to see international players in action.
BCCI informs Indian players about mandatory domestic cricket rule
According to a PTI report, the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar has informed the players about the new instructions. After India’s poor performance in the Test series in Australia, the Board has made participation in domestic cricket mandatory.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have already confirmed that they will be available for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The selectors have also asked senior players like Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav to play at least two matches for their respective state teams.
Shreyas Iyer is the only exception, as he is still recovering from injury and needs more time to regain fitness. All other senior players are expected to represent their state in the tournament.
The board has made it clear that the same rules apply to everyone in the team. Notably, the move also refutes claims that selectors and head coach Gautam Gambhir are leaving out players like Kohli and Rohit.
Players told that participating in Vijay Hazare after Mullanpur T20 match is not optional
The Board will grant exemption only if the Center of Excellence declares a player unfit. However, officials believe the players will have enough time to recover after the South Africa series.
“There are six rounds of the Vijay Hazare Trophy scheduled between December 24 and the start of the New Zealand ODIs. It is up to the players and their state associations to decide which two rounds they want to play.
“But after the second T20 match in Mullanpur, it has been clearly told to the players that playing in Hazare is not an option,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on condition of anonymity.
Jasprit Bumrah returns home due to family emergency
Jasprit Bumrah returned home due to personal emergency ahead of the third T20 match. A close family member is in the hospital and Bumrah decided to be with his family during this period. His return is possible later in the series, but his family’s recovery is the top priority.
Meanwhile, the selectors will announce India’s T20 World Cup squad and the squad for the New Zealand T20 series on the same day. With the ICC deadline set, the announcement is expected in the first week of January.
The players selected for the New Zealand T20I will be the same group that will be selected for the T20 World Cup. Notably, the Men in Blue will be hoping to defend the upcoming World Cup on home soil.
Also read: Panic in the Australian camp regarding Steve Smith’s health before the third Test of Ashes 2025-26.
