The BCCI has revealed that it had never forced India’s two key batsmen Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, to take part in the forthcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy. According to a website report, a BCCI official, who revealed on condition of anonymity when asked about the BCCI dictum that the national stars must participate in the domestic cricket tournaments, stated, “BCCI never forced them to play in Vijay Hazare Trophy. It was purely their decision.”

Interestingly, according to media reports across the country, BCCI selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar and chief coach Gautam Gambhir, both have been repeatedly asking players to return to domestic cricket whenever they have time off. It was also reported that due to the unofficial ‘dictum’ set by the chairman and the chief coach Kohli and Rohit played the Ranji Trophy after returning from the unsuccessful Border-Gavaskar Trophy tour Down Under.

However, in the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa, both Rohit and Kohli have shown their consistency and proved indispensible once again in India’s batting line-up. Even coach Gambhir said that he is hoping that Kohli and Rohit continue doing the same in the format, though he refused to give any hint about the 2027 ODI World Cup make-up.

“They (Rohit and Kohli) are world-class players and their experience is important in the dressing room. They have been doing it for a long time. Hopefully, they can continue doing the same, which is going to be important in the 50-over format,” Gambhir said at the post-match presser after India beat South Africa 2-1 in the ODI series.