MUMBAI, Jan 23: The eagerly awaited return of India captain Rohit Sharma alongside his Test opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal to domestic cricket turned out to be quite disappointing as both players faced early dismissals during Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.
This marked the first time Rohit and Jaiswal teamed up for defending champions Mumbai, yet the occasion was marred by their premature exits from the game, scoring just 3 and 4 runs respectively.
Jaiswal was given out LBW by J&K’s right-arm pacer Auqib Nabi, who effectively exploited the fresh wicket to create challenging conditions with the new ball at the BKC Ground.
However, what was particularly disappointing was the manner of Rohit’s dismissal. Attempting to drive the ball into the on side, Rohit ended up giving a leading edge that was caught by J&K captain Paras Dogra stationed at mid-off.
Adding an interesting twist, Dogra donned the No. 9 jersey, typically associated with Yudhvir Singh, leading to some momentary confusion.
The 31-year-old Umar continued to troubled Mumbai, striking down captain Ajinkya Rahane’s effort by bowling him out for 12 runs.
While the audience turnout to watch these cricketing stars was low, those situated in nearby buildings who caught glimpses of the match from their office windows quickly returned to their tasks after 37-year-old Rohit was dismissed.
Jaiswal was the first out of the dressing room in the morning after Rahane opted to bat, with Rohit arriving a bit later. (Agencies)
