The Indian Cricket Team has come under fire for their recent struggles in Test cricket. After starting 2024 on a high with a commanding 4-1 victory in the five-match home Test series against England, their fortunes took a dramatic downturn.
These disappointing results have sparked concerns over the preparation of Indian Test players and the influence of a superstar-driven culture within the team. In response, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) reportedly introduced a mandate requiring players to participate in domestic tournaments during breaks in the international calendar.
1. Rohit Sharma – 3 runs
Rohit Sharma’s struggles continued following a disappointing BGT 2024-25, where he scored only 31 runs in five innings. Despite attempts to regain form by shuffling his batting position, his woes persisted. Opening for Mumbai in a Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir, Rohit was dismissed by Umar Nazir for just three runs in the sixth over.
2. Yashasvi Jaiswal – 4 runs
After a stellar BGT 2024-25, where he was India’s leading run-scorer with 391 runs, including a century in Perth, Yashasvi Jaiswal was expected to shine in domestic cricket. However, in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy clash against Jammu & Kashmir, he was trapped lbw by Auqib Nabi for just four runs, falling short of expectations in his first outing.
3. Shubman Gill – 4 runs
Despite being India’s No. 3 in Tests, Shubman Gill opened for Punjab in their Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka. His poor form persisted, as he was caught behind for just four runs after facing eight balls. Gill’s recent struggles in red-ball cricket even saw him dropped from the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
2. Rishabh Pant – 1 run
Rishabh Pant’s lean patch extended into Delhi’s Group D match against Saurashtra in Rajkot. He managed only one run in the first innings before being dismissed by left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja. Pant’s BGT 2024-25 campaign was also underwhelming, with only one fifty in nine innings.
1. Shreyas Iyer – 11 runs
After being dropped from the Indian Test team last year, Shreyas Iyer needed a strong domestic performance to make a comeback. However, in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir, he fell for just 11 runs, dismissed by medium pacer Yudhvir Singh Charak, failing to make a notable impact.