Mumbai: Rohit Sharma’s Return to Ranji Trophy Marred by Early Dismissal for Three Runs

Mumbai, 24th January 2025: Rohit Sharma’s return to the Ranji Trophy was less than ideal, as he was dismissed for just three runs off 19 balls in Mumbai’s Group A match against Jammu and Kashmir at the Sharad Pawar Academy in BKC, Mumbai. This marked a disappointing first innings for the India captain, as he recorded his lowest score in 19 years, leaving many fans disheartened and prompting them to leave the venue immediately after his dismissal.
Rohit began his innings with a quick single but struggled against Umar Nazir Mir. The 37-year-old faced difficulties, failing to score off Mir’s consistent line outside off stump, coupled with varying lengths. On his 17th delivery, Mir finally removed the Mumbai opener as Rohit, attempting a pick-up shot, edged the ball to Paras Dogra for an easy catch.
Following the dismissal, frustrated fans, who had been accommodated with extra seating by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), exited the ground.
With this performance, Rohit’s batting average for the 2024/25 first-class season has dropped to a mere 10.43 across 16 innings, the lowest by an Indian batter since 2006 (with a minimum of 15 innings in the top six). This is also the second-lowest overall, after England’s Haseeb Hameed, who averaged 9.44 in the 2018 season.
Throughout this challenging period, Rohit has managed just 167 runs across nine matches, including 164 runs in Test cricket, with only one half-century. His dismal performance included a forgettable tour of Australia, where he amassed just 31 runs in five innings at an average of 6.2, the lowest ever by a visiting captain in Australia, before stepping down from the final Test XI in Sydney.
Mumbai also faced a rough day, bowled out for a mere 120 runs in their first innings. Shardul Thakur was the standout performer, scoring a fifty. Jammu and Kashmir currently ranked just above Mumbai in the points table, took a 26-run lead by the end of the day, losing five wickets.