In what was anticipated to be a memorable return to domestic cricket, India’s captain Rohit Sharma and his Test opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal had a disappointing outing during Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy clash against Jammu and Kashmir at the BKC Ground on Thursday. The star duo was dismissed cheaply, scoring just 3 and 4 runs respectively.
Teaming up for the first time for the defending champions, Mumbai, both players failed to make a mark on the fresh pitch. Jaiswal fell early, trapped leg-before by J&K’s right-arm pacer Auqib Nabi, who made excellent use of the new ball to extract movement off the surface.
Rohit’s dismissal, however, was particularly disheartening for fans. Attempting to play the ball to the on side, he ended up with a leading edge that was comfortably caught by J&K skipper Paras Dogra at mid-off. Adding an unusual twist to the moment, Dogra was wearing the No. 9 jersey typically associated with teammate Yudhvir Singh, causing a brief moment of confusion.
The morning began with Ajinkya Rahane, Mumbai’s captain, opting to bat first. Jaiswal was the first to stride out to the crease, followed by Rohit. However, their time in the middle was short-lived, leaving the spotlight on Jammu and Kashmir’s bowlers.
J&K’s Umar, aged 31, further dented Mumbai’s innings by dismissing Rahane for 12, delivering a sharp ball that uprooted the stumps. The experienced pacer’s performance added to Mumbai’s woes as they struggled to build a solid foundation.
Despite the presence of cricketing stars like Rohit and Jaiswal, the turnout at the stadium remained low. A handful of spectators who had gathered in nearby office buildings to catch the action quickly returned to their desks following Rohit’s early dismissal.
Mumbai, defending their title in the prestigious domestic tournament, will now look to regroup and mount a stronger challenge as the match progresses. For Rohit and Jaiswal, this outing will serve as a reminder of the unpredictable challenges of the domestic grind, even for seasoned and emerging stars of international cricket.
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