Shubman Gill set to make Ranji Trophy comeback: Details
What's the story
Indian batter Shubman Gill is all set to make his much-awaited Ranji Trophy comeback after a gap of over two years.
He will be returning on January 23 when the 2024/25 season resumes.
The decision comes amid the ongoing debate of how important domestic cricket is for India's top batters, especially after their disappointing performance in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
Match participation
Gill to play for Punjab in upcoming match
A source from the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) confirmed to Hindustan Times that Gill will be featuring in Punjab's Ranji match against Karnataka, which starts on January 23.
Punjab currently sitssecond in Group C of the First-Class tournament, behind Karnataka.
The two teams have both won six out of their first seven matches this season, with only net run rate separating them.
Past record
Gill's previous Ranji Trophy appearance and performance
Apart from his appearance in the Duleep Trophy in September 2024, Gill has played just one red-ball domestic game in the last four years.
His last Ranji Trophy appearance came in June 2022, when he played a quarterfinal match against Madhya Pradesh in Bengaluru.
He scored 9 and 19 runs respectively in the game, which saw Punjab lose by 10 wickets.
Uncertain return
Rohit Sharma's potential participation in Ranji Trophy
In related news, India's captain Rohit Sharma is likely to join Mumbai's practice session on January 14.
However, his participation in the upcoming Ranji Trophy tournament is still unconfirmed.
The Mumbai team will next face Jammu and Kashmir.
An MCA source revealed that while Rohit will train with the Ranji trophy team today, he hasn't yet confirmed his availability for the match on January 23.