Former cricketer Aakash Chopra has pointed out that the failures of Indian Test players in the ongoing 2024-25 Ranji Trophy have become a hot topic. He specifically mentioned Mumbai’s struggles against Jammu and Kashmir, despite having several international players in their squad.
“The match was played just a short distance from my place, and you might be wondering what I’m referring to. I’m talking about the Mumbai vs Jammu & Kashmir game, and Mumbai is really struggled. They had big names like Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, and Shardul Thakur,” he said.
“On paper, they’re a powerhouse, but J&K has given them a tough time in both innings. A lot of players went off to play in the Ranji Trophy. Despite that, everyone who got a chance ended up getting out. It’s really something. Runs didn’t came in the Ranji Trophy this time. It feels like a completely different story now,” Chopra continued.
“Now, here’s the truth—whether you score runs or not, it doesn’t really affect your career or Test form. The bigger point here is that your Test form won’t be impacted by this. After all, the next Test match isn’t for another five months,” he explained.
“However, you still need to score runs and take wickets, and that’s exactly what Ravindra Jadeja has been doing. He’s been exceptional, both with the bat and the ball, but the others just haven’t stepped up. I saw the visuals of Rohit from both innings. Honestly, it didn’t look too promising. Yashasvi Jaiswal was also dismissed in both innings,” Chopra added.
“Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, and Shivam Dube all got out as well. Shardul batted well. As for Shubman’s team, they were all out for just 55. Rishabh Pant ended up losing his wicket in both innings,” he concluded.
Australia clinched the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy by a margin of 3-1, with India’s batting struggling.