Rohit is set to feature in the Ranji Trophy after 10 years.
During India's Champions Trophy squad announcement, Rohit was asked if he would turn up for Mumbai in the upcoming Ranji fixture. To this, the 37-year-old replied, "Yes, I will."
With Rohit confirming his participation, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar was left delighted. Mumbai will face Jammu and Kashmir at the MCA-BKC Ground when the Ranji Trophy resumes on January 23.
"Yes, it's a good thing because, look, he didn't get runs in Australia, so he knows he needs to spend time out in the middle. How much net practice you have or however many throwdowns you face, batting in a game, feeling the ball in the middle of the bat, knowing that a mistake will send you back to the pavilion, and then still scoring runs is a big, big difference," Gavaskar told India Today.
"In the nets, you could get out caught 20 times, but you can still bat for 20 or 40 minutes. You keep getting dismissed in the nets. That practice isn't good because there's no pressure to bat well or protect your wicket. In a match, that pressure is real,” he added.
Rohit Sharma was all over the place during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under, managing just 31 runs in five innings at an abysmal average of 6.20 -- the lowest by a touring captain on Australian soil.
After returning from the Australia tour, the Indian captain trained with the Mumbai Ranji team at the Wankhede Stadium.
"So what can happen and what should happen is if you don't get runs, then, you know. To the net next door because every ground now does not have nets on the ground, but next to the ground there are nets, so you fail with the bat in a match, go into the nets and have that practice, get that rhythm going, but nothing like playing in a match. I'm very happy to see that Rohit Sharma has said that he is going to play in the Trophy," Gavaskar remarked.