Rohit’s Remarks Stirs up the BCCI
On 26th February in the post-match press-conference, bold and assertive Rohit Sharma spoke the words ‘Jin logon ko bhookh hai, hum unhi logon ko mauka denge. Agar hunger nahi hai to unko khila ke koi matlab nahi hai
(Only to the people who have hunger, we will give opportunities. There’s no point in playing those who don’t have the hunger)’.
This brazen statement of the Indian Cricket Team’s Captain was following their series victory against Ben Stokes and his team in Ranchi.
Rohit’s assertion, comes in response to the National level cricket players priorotizing IPL over regional tournaments like Ranji.
As the Indian players battle brilliantly and dominate the England Team in a 5-match test series, leading with 3-1, the concerns over this issue begins brewing.
He emphasized that opportunities in Test cricket will be granted solely to individuals demonstrating a strong desire for the format. Sharma’s this declaration has stirred controversy among the state associations.
BCCI Secretary Warns Players of Repurcussions
The negligence of Indian players to play in the regions matches has been flagged as a serious issue by the BCCI. The Secretary of The Board of Control for Cricket in India, Mr. Jay Shah to interceded and act as a mediating agent by issuing a warning to all the national-level players who have been disregarding domestic cricket in a chase to perform for national matches and preparing for The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
He said that the players who opting for league cricket over domestic participation would face significant repercussions
IPL vs Ranji : Controversial Cricket
As T20 franchise leagues have become widespread globally, the conflict between club commitments and national team responsibilities has affected several nations who foster cricket. In the recent years, a sharp observation noted by the BCCI show a trend among Indian cricketers sidelining regional cricket.
This cautionary statement coincided with instances of players like Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan hesitating to join the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, saying they’re busy prepping for the IPL, which start next month.
The hunger mentioned by Rohit was evident in the performances of emerging talents such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, and Akash Deep.
All these newcomers showcased remarkable skills throughout the series against a formidable England team, preventing India from feeling the absence of senior players who were unable to participate for various reasons.
Rohit Sharma’s remark at the JSCA International Stadium won encouragement from umpteen state cricket associations. These local bodies urged BCCI to systemise a structure that avoids such conflicts in the future.
Significant Reactions from Fellows
Agreeing with the opinions of Rohit Sharma, Abhilash Khandekar, the president of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association, said ‘Young cricketers need to demonstrate a strong desire to play the longest format.’
He alarmed all the players not to undermine The Ranji Trophy as it forms the backbone of Indian cricket and stands as the most crucial tournament in domestic cricket.
The domestic tournaments also equipps players with more confidence, competency and the ability to deal in different situations and challenges.
Dilip Vengsarkar, a great sportsman himself, highlighted the importance of playing Ranji and said that it helps you play spin better on Indian wickets, your overall skills are enhanced. This practice proves extremely beneficial and easier to face spin, when playing against foreign teams.
Importance of Ranji
“I feel it is a player’s wish whether to play Ranji or not. If he doesn’t want to play, we have enough in India to choose from, they will play and establish themselves. No one is bigger than the game. No one is indispensable.” he further elaborated.
Meanwhile, a state unit official, choosing to safeguard his anonymity proposes that BCCI should hand 
state bodies the power to ban players who ignore domestic cricket.
He further continues and remarks that this was a long-awaited measure and should have been implemented earlier. When an Indian player consistently participates in the Ranji Trophy, it serves as a significant inspiration for younger players in the team.
I would also want the BCCI to empower state units to ban those players who don’t play Ranji Trophy. If a senior is dropped for once, the juniors would not dare to ignore their red ball commitments for T20 cricket,” he expressed.
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