Rohit Sharma failed to impress with the bat on his return to the Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir. Will his poor performance impact his ODI form against England?

The Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to start on February 19, is knocking on the door, and India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, is unable to buy a run at the moment. In recent times, the veteran has experienced failure with the bat, pressure in the leadership department, and so much scrutiny around his position. All of these took place in the last six weeks since his late arrival in Australia for the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.
Rohit managed just 31 runs in five innings at an average of 6.20 and the best score of 10. His opposite number, Pat Cummins, enjoyed the battle most, dismissing the 37-year-old four times in 44 deliveries at an average of below three. The batting failure was consistent even in native conditions.
During the 2024/25 home season against Bangladesh and New Zealand, Rohit collected only 133 runs in ten innings. The average of 13.30 and a strike rate of 75.14 were embarrassing. His contribution with the bat was less than the two prolific all-rounders of the side, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. The opener finished the previous year with 619 runs in 26 innings at an average of 24.76, his lowest ever in the red-ball format.
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Failures for Rohit Sharma in Ranji Trophy return since 2015/16 season
The new rules of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have pushed many senior players to turn up for their domestic teams. Rohit decided to play Mumbai’s sixth round of the Ranji Trophy 2024/25 against Jammu and Kashmir at the Sharad Pawar Academy BKC. It’s his return to the competition after nearly a decade, having faced Uttar Pradesh in the 2015/16 season. India’s current batting coach, Abhishek Nayar, was also part of that encounter.
A lot of attention was on the game as the Nagpur-born confirmed his participation during India’s Champions Trophy 2025 squad announcement. Before the game, the opener looked relaxed with a white floppy, warming up with the volleyball.
A determined Rohit Sharma walked to open with his regular Test partner, Yashasvi Jaiswal. Mumbai decided to omit Ayush Mhatre, who clubbed 408 runs at 45.33 in his debut season. On a chilly morning, the visiting bowlers made full use of the early conditions.
Rohit opened his account with a single through the on side. Umar Nazir Mir bowled two successive maidens to him, maintaining a consistent line outside the off-stump. It didn’t allow the batter to free his arm, as he drove Auqib Nabi through covers for a couple.
The reward of Nazir finally came on the 17th ball. The J&K pacer put the line on the fifth stump and found a little bit of movement. That was the exact plan Cummins was attempting in the entire summer, and the opener was exposed again. He looked to play his trademark pick-up shot over midwicket but ended up getting a leading edge. The ball ballooned in the air before Paras Dogra’s comfortable catch sent the veteran back into the hut.
The focus shifted to the second innings. Both Rohit and Jaiswal opened the innings just an hour after the start of the second day. Jammu and Kashmir had already earned a vital lead of 86 runs. The former installed excitement among the fans with a couple of boundaries and three sixes. He used his feet to time the ball from the middle of the blade over the bowler’s head for a six to celebrate the half-century stand in the 14th over.
Nabi pulled the length back as the T20 World Cup-winning captain went for an uppish drive. The timing of the shot wasn’t perfect as the ball moved towards short mid-wicket, where Abid Mushtaq grabbed a great one-handed catch. For the second successive day, Rohit (28 runs in 35 balls) struggled to find the lost form.
Potential impact on confidence before Champions Trophy
India played just three ODIs last year in Sri Lanka. Rohit Sharma was the only contributor in the batting department. He nailed the home attack for 157 runs at 52.33, thanks to two half-centuries. That was the same template the opener has been following since the start of the 2023 ODI World Cup at home. But one thing was clear in Australia. If he fails with the bat, then the entire pressure can be seen in his leadership.
A few field placements to particular batters were weird, while a few bowling changes raised eyebrows. The confidence has been down for the veteran. The twin failures will destroy it more. Unless he gets some runs under his belt in the three-match home ODI series against England, it’s going to be a long two weeks for him and the team.
The positive section for the Mumbai batter is his performance at the Dubai International Stadium, India’s venue for all games of the event. In five ODI innings, the right-handed batter has smashed 317 runs at an average of 105.67. All of these runs have come at the strike rate of 93.51, shouldering on two fifties and one century.
Against both Bangladesh and Pakistan, India’s opponents in the group stage, Rohit has an ODI average of over 50. However, his 37.77 average against New Zealand is the second lowest among the sides, whom he has faced more than two times.
Questions have already been raised over India’s Test captain’s position. There is no guarantee that he will make the next red-ball trip to England in June. If he fails in this white-ball tournament, then it won’t be long before he will be forced to hang up his shoes.
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