'Haven't received any message from Rohit Sharma' - Mumbai selector says star batter hasn't communicated to play Vijay Hazare Trophy

Contrary to the media reports stated earlier, Mumbai's chief selector Sanjay Patil has come forward to clarify that star India batter Rohit Sharma has not yet communicated regarding his decision to play for the domestic side in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26. Patil, however, stated that the Mumbai will welcome Rohit's decision in case he makes himself available.

Earlier, there were reports that Rohit had already communicated with the Mumbai Cricket Association, whereas, Virat Kohli was yet to convey his decision regarding his participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. However, Patil's statement clearly mentions that the Men in Blue opener is yet to confirm that he will turn up for Mumbai.

"I have not received any message from Rohit Sharma yet. But if he plays for Mumbai, it will be good for us. It will be a good thing for the youngsters. I appreciate BCCI, Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir for asking India players to turn out for their teams in domestic cricket when available," Patil told Mumbai Mirror as quoted.

Currently, both Rohit and Virat play only the One-Day Internationals for the Indian team. And with the BCCI directive clearly asking players to participate in domestic cricket when not on national duty, it becomes essential for the star Indian duo to play VHT to be considered for selection for ODI squad going forward, currently led by Shubman Gill.

What is Rohit Sharma's record in Vijay Hazare Trophy?

Rohit, who started as a middle-order batting all-rounder, took a while to rise to prominence in the international arena. However, he holds some decent batting numbers while playing 50-over cricket for Mumbai. His stats include a century and three half-centuries in the Vijay Hazare Trophy history, with an impressive strike-rate of 90.92. Rohit has aggregated for 581 runs in 17 innings in the tournament's history.